The sign of the Cross..

“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”

I’m raised a Catholic… so, doing the sign of the Cross is natural to me. It becomes so natural that I signed myself not only before my prayers but in every important things that I’m about to do. I signed myself before exams, signed myself before playing in a rugby match (yeah… I was once a rugby player… hehehehe…), signed myself before any class presentations, signed myself before confessing my feelings to my college crush (but I got dumped.. hehehe.. what a painful experience). Now, I signed myself before driving to work each morning, or before attending an important meeting, or right before eating my lunch.

Tertullian, a theologian writing at the turn of the third century, had this to say about the sign of the Cross,

“In all our travels and movements, in all our coming and going out, in putting our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our foreheads with the Sign of the Cross”
(Catholic Digest issue February 2007)

St John Chrysostom, the eloquent fourth century preacher and patriarch of Constantinople said,

“Never leave your house without making the Sign of the Cross. It will be to you a staff, a weapon, an impregnable fortress…. Are you ignorant of what the Cross has done? It has vanquished death, destroyed sin, emptied hell, dethroned Satan, and restored the universe. Would you then doubt its power?” (Catholic Digest issue February 2007)

The Sign of the Cross therefore is not just a sign. It should not be done only out of respect, or because I’m a Catholic or a Christian, or to show-off. Whenever we signed ourselves, we should remember the story of salvation.

“The Sign of the Cross is a potent prayer that engages the Holy Spirit as the divine advocate and agent of our successful Christian living. When we trace it on our body, it stirs up the new life of the Spirit that we received in baptism and vitalizes our prayer by drawing us closer to God. Making the Sign affirms our decision to follow Christ, allowing Him to assume our burdens and free us to live joyfully.”

“The Sign itself does not cause blessing or empowerment. But, it opens us to receiving God’s blessing and power.”

(Bert Ghezzi, The Sign of the Cross)

Personally, when I signed myself, realizing the significance of the Cross in my life, I felt that I am tapping into the Lord’s presence. The Lord drew me nearer to Him. Most of the time, I don’t know what to pray. I’m often lost for words. The Sign is the simplest of all prayers… and yet, to me, the most profound. Alleluia!