Superstition — A Sign of Spiritual Ignorance #
Faith is one of the cornerstones of our salvation from sin and of attaining eternal life with Christ. The spiritual life of every person, all knowledge of God, begins precisely with faith. Without faith, there are no truly good deeds; without faith, there is no sincere prayer; without faith, communion with God is impossible — for how can one commune with Him whose existence one does not believe in? “…without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith gives rise to the striving to fulfill the commandments of Christ — that is, the desire and intention to live a spiritual life. Life according to the Spirit brings religious experience, and a person gradually becomes spiritually enlightened. His heart is filled with the grace of God, and he submits his life to the will of the Lord — to love God, to love his neighbor, to pray for both friends and enemies, to sincerely repent of sins, to cleanse the soul of passions, to preserve the purity of thoughts, the sincerity of speech, and the integrity of actions. These are the fruits of true Orthodox faith. The highest spiritual reward for firm and sincere faith is eternal life: “He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25–26).
Faith, in its essence, is great spiritual labor, and the fruits of faith are by no means earthly, but spiritual. Faith in God does not at all mean material abundance, worldly success, robust health, or longevity. To many Christians, the Lord sends various trials to strengthen their faith, to cultivate spiritual resilience and endurance. Yet there are also many examples when the Lord rewards people even in this life for their faith — including with material well-being.
But the ways of the Lord are unsearchable, and each person’s path in Christ is unique.
There are people in our society who are weak in faith, who have not properly come to know the teachings of Christ. These people also have a semblance of faith, but the orientation of their belief takes on a “magical” character of protection — specifically material protection. Protection of health, well-being, and so forth. When we reflect rationally, we understand that all illnesses and misfortunes — from a spiritual point of view — are permitted by God either as a consequence of our sins or as a means of strengthening faith. From a material perspective, illness is the result of an improper way of life, of neglecting one’s body. Superstitious people, however, attribute everything to the “evil eye,” “curses,” “love spells,” “negative energy,” and the like, and they busy themselves with searching for various “remedies” for all this.
Superstition by its very nature is akin to blasphemy, for it tramples upon the omnipotence of God and replaces the grace of the Holy Spirit with pins, knocking on wood, and similar things. Such practices have demonic origins and have never been regarded within Christianity as salvific. It is essential to maintain spiritual vigilance, to have living faith in the heart — and then there will be no place for superstition.