What is the Sign of the Cross?
The Sign of the Cross is made by touching one’s forehead, then the heart, and then the left shoulder and across to the right shoulder. While doing this, one says “In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.” The Sign of the Cross has been used since the earliest Christian times and is still used in the Catholic Church today. Catholics make the Sign of the Cross at the beginning and end of every prayer. The Sign of the Cross is used at the beginning and end of every Mass (which is the most perfect prayer); we come together as a Christian community and begin the Mass with the sign of the cross and the priest blesses us at the end of the Mass with the Sign of the Cross.
What Does It Mean?
The Sign of the Cross has been rich in meaning in the Church since the earliest times. First, when we make the Sign, we remind ourselves of the horrible instrument used to crucify Our Lord. In making the Sign of the Cross, we remind ourselves of His sacrifice for us. In our remembrance of His sacrifice we glorify Him. The Sign of the Cross is the prayer thanking Him for the gift of salvation.
A Sign of Unity
The Sign of the Cross is a sign of who we are. As Christians, it is a symbol that reminds us that we are united to each other. By His Blood He adopted each of us; we are now one family (Mt 12:50). In coming together as a group in prayer, we all make the Sign of the Cross which symbolizes our unity through Jesus.
When we enter the community of believers through Baptism, our godparents (or sponsors) and the priest make the Sign of the Cross on our foreheads.[1] According to St. Paul, the Sign of the Cross is the sign that we are members of the body of Christ; we are participants in the new covenant. St. Paul explains to us that circumcision was a sign of the believer of the old covenant (Rm 3:11). Now Jesus calls us to a new covenant (Mt 26:28) and He marks us with the Sign of the Cross.
Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me
The Sign of the Cross reminds us of Jesus’s words to us to “carry our crosses” (Mt 5:12 and Mt 10:38). Jesus, out of love for us, struggled with His cross up the hill to Calvary and then was nailed to it. He took our punishment when He died for our sins. We now have daily little crosses in our lives which He asks us to carry for love of Him (Mt 16:24).
Our crosses are the difficulties and suffering we have in our daily lives––a minor or major illness, a sick relative, a difficult neighbor, a job we don’t like, even a headache is a little cross. It is by accepting these things (especially those that we cannot change) and bearing with them patiently that we grow closer to Jesus. As Christians we seek to imitate Christ. He lovingly carried His cross for us, now He asks us to do the same for Him.
A Sign of Blessing
The Sign of the Cross is a sign of blessing. We bless ourselves when we make the Sign. The priest blesses us with the Sign at the end of every Mass. We can also bless others (e.g., our children) with this Sign. The Sign made with faith confers blessings and protection on the one being blessed (1 Cor 1:18). It is very powerful as a blessing and as a shield of protection because we are invoking the Name of each person of the Trinity––and God listens with His ear to our mouths when we invoke His Name. It is powerful also because we are glorifying Jesus for His sacrifice for us, and God always blesses those who glorify Him.
In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Recommended Reading:
Matthew, Ch. 26-27
James Ch. 1-2
[1] Catechism of the Catholic Church, Liguori Publications, 1994. # 1235.
