September 13, 2019 (Friday)
The Shamrock Hotel, Houston, Texas, is gone. It was demolished several years ago. I remember when it was built. There was a lavish dedication ceremony on St. Patrick’s Day, 1949. My father drove us to a spot on Holcomb Boulevard where we could see the fireworks. The radio program, “Duffy’s Tavern,” was broadcast from the hotel that night. The movie star, Dorothy Lamour, was there. Not very many years ago, I attended a Baptist meeting at that hotel. I believe I am telling you the truth when I say it had no 13th floor. Not because the owners were superstitious, but because many potential patrons of the hotel would refuse to occupy a room on the 13th floor.
Today is Friday the 13th. When I looked in the archives of my blog, I discovered that I have written a blog about Friday the 13th several times. Every month that starts on Sunday has a Friday the 13th. I am fascinated that so many people are superstitious in this day and age, when science and technology rule the roost. I am amazed that anyone would pay any attention at all to horoscopes these days, but many people follow those forecasts and analyses faithfully. Some refuse to face the day without reading it.
“For he is superstitious grown of late,
Quite from the main opinion he held once
Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies.”
William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)
I’ve been told that the superstition surrounding this day may have arisen in the Middle Ages, “originating from the story of Jesus’ last supper and crucifixion” in which there were 13 individuals present in the Upper Room on the 13th of Nisan Maundy Thursday, the night before his death on Good Friday. The irrational fear of the number 13 has been given a scientific name: triskaidekaphobia; and on analogy to this the fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia, from the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή, meaning “Friday”), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς, meaning “thirteen”) [Wikipedia].
If we claim to believe in the Lord, then let’s accept Him at His word: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
(To paraphrase a popular phrase from an old movie, “We don’t need no stinkin’ superstitions!)