The Sign of Grace [Sign of the Cross]

Catholic Exchange ^ | 07-05-04 | by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D

[Jaded]

Here goes.

Last Friday I went to my 91 year old Grandmother's funeral. It was a High Mass in a church that was about 55 years old. They were one of the founding families. My grandmother and grandfather donated a mosaic of the Holy Mother. My grandparents were also part of the Altar and Rosary Society. My dad and uncle were 2 of the original 4 Altar Boys.

Anyway, I left the Mass feeling WHOLE. Okay with the whole thing. I wish I could adequately explain the feeling of comfort being in the Church at that time. Being part of the spoken prayers. Taking communion beside my Grandmother's casket covered with the while Cloth. (Don't know the name of it). I love the smell of incense, the feeling that you are part of something Sacred.

I know that some will dismiss it as "emotion" but the feeling of being part of something more was overwhelming. Being part of the Promise of Christ.

The only down side was my younger half brother who has probably never been in a Catholic Church in his life went to Communion because everyone else did. I asked him about it later and he said "I'm Catholic on one side and Christian on the other." I pointed out that being Catholic was being Christian. He just said "whatever".

[Dominick]

When I am in a restaurant I make the Sign of the Cross, pray the grace before meals, make another Sign of the Cross and then eat.

Some eyebrows are raised, but I really don't care.

Those are eyebrows that need a little raising.If you were a man coming in with womens clothing on, they wouldn't raise those infamous eyebrows.

[Desdemona]

That is a combination of a diminished sense of reverence in general, and a loss of faith in the very real and total presense of Christ in the tabernacle.

And the simple fact that no one ever told us we were supposed to do it.

[Salvation]

That feeling of belonging is one of the reasons all of us are drawn to the Catholic Church.

One
Holy
Catholic
Apostolic

It sounds as though the service was beautiful and holy. God bless you in your grief.

[tiki]

Darn, I was told the significance of the thumb kissing but it slips my mind at this moment.

[B Knotts]

I don't have this book, but heard the author on Catholic Answers Live, and he seemed very knowledgeable:

The Sign of the Cross, by Bert Ghezzi

[Dominick]

Darn, I was told the significance of the thumb kissing but it slips my mind at this moment.

You make a cross with your thumb and forefinger. I usually touch my shirt where my scapular is, sometimes I have to hunt for it, in the hot summertime. There are a lot of regional drift to the Sign of the Cross, among different nations.

[Salvation]

**You make a cross with your thumb and forefinger**

This makes sense to me.

[NYer]

I've never heard of this!

The Maronite Church is the only one among the Eastern Churches that has always maintained its bonds with Rome and the Successor of St. Peter. In fact, in 517, as controversy continued to rage over the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon (451) regarding Christ as “true God and true Man,” persecution of the Maronites broke out which resulted in the martyrdom of 350 Maronite monks on account of their defense of the Council’s decrees.

Here is something else you have probably never heard.

The Divine Liturgy of the Mass traces its roots to Antioch, where “the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). St. Peter fled to Antioch when a persecution broke out in Jerusalem, resulting in the martyrdom of St. James (cf. Acts 12). According to tradition, St. Peter founded the Church at Antioch and became its first bishop (cf. Eusebius, History of the Church, III, 36). The early Maronites were the direct descendants of the people who received their faith from the Apostle Peter.

Shortly after the time of the Apostles, while abiding by our Lord’s command, “Do this in memory of me,” a liturgy developed in Antioch which exists today in the Maronite rite. The overall characteristic of this liturgical tradition is a strong Trinitarian expression, coupled with emphasis on Jesus Christ as true God and true Man. The Maronite liturgy also retains certain aspects of the ancient liturgy of the Old Testament. For example, at the Consecration, the priest tips the chalice in the four directions of the compass to symbolize the shedding of Christ’s blood for the entire universe, which recalls the practice of sprinkling the four corners of the altar with the blood of the sacrificial lamb. From this ancient and rich spirituality, which cultivates a living spirit of adoration for the Eucharist, many saints have been raised up from among the Maronites.

[.45MAN]

ping

[Aquinasfan]

Bump!

[Dancing Jane]

"And when is it appropriate to make the sign of the cross?"

We also make the sign of the cross when tempted to sin.

[SilentServiceCPOWife]

Could any of you tell me what the Communion protocol is for non-Catholics attending a Catholic church?

I'm not sure what we're supposed to do to let the priest know that we aren't taking it.

[Dancing Jane]

Just do not walk up for communion. Get up to let the others out of the pew, but then sit back down.

If you feel you absolutely must walk up with the others to the front of the church, you can cross/fold your arms across your chest and the priest should just give you a blessing. This is what some Catholics do when we are not in the state or grace necessary to receive. However, in some areas, the signal for not receiving is putting your right hand on your shoulder (or so I have heard). As it varies from place to place and I do not see it done very often, I just remain in my pew when not receiving so as to avoid confusion.

Also, I don't walk up to receive a blessing because I may wind up in front of an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist and it is not proper for them to bless others.

[SilentServiceCPOWife]

Thank you. I wasn't sure what to do and wanted to save us possible embarrassment.

[NYer]

That evangelical church couldn't survive the egos and conflicts present in every human situation because it was just the one congregation. No, "sign of the cross" no tradition to sustain them, no hierachy and no history to connect them. Some returned to their old churches, some lost their faith, some started new churches, which have petered out and some still "church hop". There were no roots to sustain them.

What an astute and beautiful testimony to time honored, solid, tradition! Thank you for posting this.

[Salvation]

You can go forward for a blessing if you wish or remain in the pew. When going up in the Communion line, simply cross your arms over your chest touching each should with the opposite hand and you will receive a blessing from the priest.

[Salvation]

**Also, I don't walk up to receive a blessing because I may wind up in front of an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist and it is not proper for them to bless others.**

This is new to me; care to clarify your statement?

[Dancing Jane]

A priest will make the sign of the Cross in the air in front of the person who is not receiving the Eucharist as a blessing. When lay people are acting as ministers of the Eucharist, they should not do this. However, sometimes they do not realize this, and they will make the sing of the Cross in the manner of the priest. Unfortunately, this mistake happens rather frequently.

I apologize because I also made a mistake in my last post. Lay people may bless others, as parents often do for their children, but just not by making the sign of the cross in the air. There's egg on my face!