The 4th Sorrowful Mystery

What are we to learn from this mystery?  The Father allowed the Roman executioners to compel Jesus to take action.  Jesus didn't just endure carrying the cross, he had to take action.  He had to bear the weight, and move it forward.  Is this the result of us trying to compel God to our own will?  Superstitions, astrology, or even poorly utilized Catholic prayers ("Saint Anthony, please come around...") are attempts to control God himself.  The only way we can control God, of course, is if He were to allow it.

Why would He allow it?  The obvious reason is to make His Will be done: to convince us that He really is in control, to draw us to Him, to set things up as he Wills.  But it is really a violent thing we try to do when we try to control God.

BTW, I don't mean to imply that the cute invocations of the saints for needs minor and major are necessarily bad.  The Almighty wants us to implore His help in everything.  Done with humility and respect, I see nothing wrong with asking Saint Anthony to intercede because "something is lost, and must be found".  I don't think that burying a statue of Saint Joseph upside in your yard to sell your house qualifies as respectful though.

A related idea is that there are certain things you must do in order to get or retain God's favor.  This is, however, a superstition.  What must you do?  Go to mass every week, confession and communion once a year.  The bar is pretty low.