The Sign of the Cross

Signs tell you a lot.  They give names and directions.  I'm not talking about virtual signs but also those that use body language. 

Hitchhikers stick their thumbs out signifying they want a ride.  There is a certain sign that is extremely rude and crude, people use to show extreme displeasure.  There's a thumb up sign that tell people that everything is OK. 

And then there's the "Sign of the Cross." The sign of the cross is made by touching the hand sequentially to the forehead, lower chest or stomach, and both shoulders, accompanied by the Trinitarian formula: at the forehead In the name of the Father (or In Nomine Patris in Latin); at the stomach or heart and of the Son (et Filii); across the shoulders and of the Holy Spirit.  Wikipedia

As soon as someone sees you doing that particular sign, they know you are Roman Catholic.  Catholics use the sign of the cross in both the Mass and private praying. Early Christians started this tradition as a source of divine power and protection.  The sign is an actual prayer invoking God's presence to bless us and keep us from harm.

Just think what that cross means!  Jesus overcame death on a cross.  Jesus destroyed sin. Satan was overthrown.

Don't take this gesture for granted.

A Sign of My Faith

Since my RCIA class was finished early, I dropped by my Protestant friend, Steve's scripture class. They were faith sharing.  The passage was Matt. 20: 1-16, commonly known as the Laborers in the Vineyard.

If you're not using your eyes of faith, but only the eyes of the world, you would slap the owner of the vineyard with an unfair labor practices lawsuit.  But God sees differently and he loves everyone and gives generously.

The parable is meant to give hope.  The believer who professes belief, (like St. Dismas), in his last breath, has every right to be in heaven as the cradle believer.

I added my two cents to the class.  We ended in prayer and I made sure I made the sign of my faith--I blessed myself with the sign of the cross.

The Cross

"Why do you Catholics always bless yourselves so often?"

"We often make the sign of the cross to begin and end our prayers, because it's a sign to remind us of Jesus' love for us."

More Questions

Still haven't got a grasp on the Eucharist.

Don't worry. It's a mystery. Pray for the grace to understand.

I have lot's of other questions. Let me start at the beginning. Why did you and everybody else, stick your fingers in that dirty water and make the sign of the cross?

Well...in the first place, it's not dirty water; it's called holy water. We don't drink it. Don't worry. Catholics dip the tips of their fingers in it, and bless themselves by making the sign of the cross, i.e.," In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen" This is a prayer. The holy water is changed often. A drop of bleach may be added for cleaning the font. Sometimes a font will have a liner that is changed often. But in any case, like I said, no one drinks it.

This prayer is called "The sign of the cross." It's so easy to learn and the gestures make a cross to reinforce that it was our Trinitarian God who died on the cross for us.

You may wonder why or what the symbolism is. Water has always been a sign of cleansing. Many Old Testament references a cleansing with water. Other religions also have some sort of cleansing ritual. The Bible is full of them. (Ex 14:15-22, Ex 17:6-7, Josh 3:14-17, Ezek 47: 1-12, Mt 3:13-17, Jn 5:1-9, Jn 19:34, Jn 3:5) So it isn't surprising that in our Baptism, we use water to cleanse ourselves of Original Sin. Hence, when a Catholic enters the Church, you'll see him remind himself of his Baptism, by dipping his hands in holy water, and saying a prayer--the Sign of the Cross.

What makes it holy? The priest boils the hell out of it--just kidding. A priest will bless it. That's it. I've seen people touch their fingers in the holy water, then touch their child's fingers, so the child can then bless himself with holy water.

Some people have small fonts at home, so that they can bless the family as they leave the home. Kinda beautiful, huh?

This holy water is called a "sacramental." The catechism definition of a sacramental is "every baptized person is called to be a blessing and to bless...Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the same way the Sacraments do but by the Church's prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it...They include blessings of persons, meals, objects and places." (Catechism verse 1669-71).

IOW, a sacramental is a reminder of something important. You've seen TV Healers put oil on people's hands to heal them. This would be considered a sacramental. A prayer shawl one puts on to pray, too. See--something to remind you of something important.

Ah! You got it.