Pope Francis has often spoken out against the use of superstitious, magical remedies to guide our lives. For example, in one of his addresses, he pointed to the example of St. Peter whose faith in Jesus allowed him to walk on water. But on the contrary, the Pope explained, “when you do not cling to the word of the Lord, but consult horoscopes and fortune tellers, you begin to sink.” On another occasion the Pope said simply, “A Christian does not have a horoscope to see the future.”
Now, a personal confession, but please don’t tell the Pope. I sometimes check my horoscope in the newspaper. But, let me quickly add, I do it for fun, for its entertainment value, not for any real direction in life. I’ve never let my horoscope influence my daily activities or decisions. In fact, usually I find that the advice given there is so general it could be written for just about anyone, on just about any day.
You’re probably familiar with horoscopes, and you know that the zodiac signs are thought to direct your life based on the position of heavenly bodies – the sun, moon, planets and stars – on the day you were born. Horoscopes are very popular and zodiac signs show up regularly in pop culture. You know what your “sign” is, don’t you? But remember, astrology (as opposed to astronomy) is not a real science. It shouldn’t be taken seriously.
However, I’ve seen some displays of the zodiac that’ve been “baptized,” that is, have been placed in a Christian setting. In these displays, the signs of the zodiac are arranged in a circle, but in the middle stands Christ. And that’s the way it should be.
The date of your birth, the movement of the planets and stars, don’t determine your fate. But your faith in Jesus Christ can, and should. Jesus is the center of the universe, the center of human history, and the center of your life. Nothing should ever be more important for you than your relationship with Jesus.
My zodiac sign is Aries. But the sign that really directs my life is the Sign of the Cross, the cross on which Jesus suffered and died. He is my Lord and Savior. I keep my eyes fixed on him, and not on stars of heaven.
Something to think about: Do you have any superstitions? Do they detract from your faith?
