Cross, Sign Of

TALKS ON THE SACRAMENTALS

Father Arthur Tonne

Cross, Sign Of

"God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Galatians, 6:14

In April of 1945 American artillery in the town of Siegburg, Germany, was shelling a nearby village, in which there were about 20 German soldiers. The natives were in constant danger of being hit by bullets from either side. Toward evening of April 12 the people persuaded the German soldiers to cease fire.

Next morning the village priest carried a white flag to the American outpost to inform the commander that the German soldiers had gone and the civilian population had no desire to resist further. Instructions were given to fly white flags from all the houses.

The question uppermost in the minds of the towns-people was: How will the Americans treat us? They had heard terrible tales of cruelty on the part of the Russians. How would these conquerors act?

The Americans began a thorough search for weapons and German soldiers. Two soldiers armed with pistols came to a certain three-room home. They stopped short in the living room before a hand-carved family altar. Into the bedroom they went, to find there a beautiful crucifix.

The soldiers noticed the cross. They stopped, took off their steel helmets, changed their automatics from right hand to left, and respectfully made the sign of the cross. As a member of the family related, the members of that household feared no longer.

Yes, the sign of the cross is the salute of the true follower of Christ whether he is conqueror or conquered, whether he is German, Chinese, American or Australian. It is the countersign of the Christian. In particular, it is the special salute of the Catholic.

The sign of the cross is one of the most important and one of the most frequently used of the sacramentals. It is the sacred sign first taught to the feeble fingers of the child at its mother's knee; it is the sacred sign traced by the faltering fingers of the dying Catholic. From birth to death it is the holy sign, the holy ceremony that continually reminds the Catholic of the source from which all spiritual blessings come—the cross.

The two most common forms of this sacramental are the large sign of the cross made by touching the forehead, the breast, and the left and right shoulders. The cross thus covers the body—at least the most important members—the head and heart. The smaller sign of the cross is traced upon the forehead, lips, and breast.

1 Why do we make the sign of the cross?

a. To remind us of the Blessed Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Ghost. We repeat their names.
b. To remind us that the Son of God died on a cross for all men. Before Calvary it was a sign of disgrace. Christ made it a thing of glory and power.
c. To stir up our faith. It recalls that God is one and God is three; it recalls that the Second Person of the Trinity died for all men; it professes our faith; it identifies the Catholic. That is why the family of our story felt so secure, so much safer, as soon as they saw those American soldiers make the sacred sign.
d. To strengthen our hope. By making this sacred sign we express the hope that through the cross all blessings will come to us.
e. To kindle and feed our charity. Making this sign recalls the limitless love of Him who died upon the cross. We determine to return love for love.

2. The uses of this sacred sign in the Catholic Church are practically without limit:

a. According to many our Lord and the Apostles used it. Many affirm that our Lord blessed the Apostles with the sign of the cross on the day of His Ascension. Certainly the early Christians used it constantly.
b. It is used in all the public worship of our Church:

i. The sign of the cross in some form or other is made about 54 times during Holy Mass.
ii. It is used frequently in the Divine Office or daily prayer of the priest.
iii. It is used in all blessings bestowed by bishop and priest.
iv. It is used in all the sacraments: 14 times in Baptism; 17 times in Extreme Unction. Yes, even in the semi-darkness of the confessional the priest makes the sign of the cross over you.
v. It is used in everything blessed for the service of God—altars, linens, holy water, etc.

c. It is used frequently in personal devotions:

i. In the morning and evening to seek God's help.
ii. Before and after prayer, against distractions.
iii. Before and after meals, asking God's blessing.
iv. In dangers of soul, like temptation and occasions of sin.
v. In dangers of body like storms, sickness, travel.
vi. Before our chief actions and undertakings, to make them pleasing to God and to obtain God's help in performing them properly.

Let me quote the instructive words of St. Gaudentius:

"Let the sign of the cross be continually made on the heart, on the mouth, on the forehead, at table, at the bath, in bed, coming in and going out, in joy and sadness, sitting, standing, speaking, walking—in short, in all our actions. Let us make it on our breasts and all our members, that we may be entirely covered with this invincible armor of Christians."

An indulgence of 100 days is granted for making the sign of the cross and saying the words. An indulgence of 300 days for making the sign of the cross, with holy water.

A love and devotion toward this sacred sign is the mark of a true follower of Christ. Just as it identified those two American soldiers as genuine Catholics, so the sign of the cross will identify you. Use it frequently, use it thoughtfully, use it lovingly. It will bring you countless blessings. Amen.

Sacred Music Volume 117, Number 4, Winter 1990

(This is reprinted from "Faith," a bi-monthly published in London, England. It was originally given as an address to a youth group at John Fisher School, Purley, Surrey, England.)

A logical place to start, since it is a very ancient Christian habit, is to begin and end prayers with the sign of the cross. Yet the only recognizable biblical reference is in Matthew 28:19 when Our Lord tells His apostles, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

The practice of making the sign of the cross dates back to at least the second century. It was said to recall the blood of the lambs marked on Jewish doorposts in Egypt on the night of the Passover (Ex. 12:7) and to foreshadow the seal set on the foreheads of the saints in heaven. One of the earliest references to the sign of the cross is found at the end of the second century in these words of Tertullian: "at every forward step and movement, at every going in and out, when we put on our clothes and shoes...in all the ordinary actions of everyday life, we trace the sign" (of the cross). Whether such diligent self-crossing was generally observed is impossible to tell, but it does illustrate the importance that the early Church attached to the cross. Another important thread is drawn out by Saint Thomas Aquinas who said: "by making use of bodily signs of humility, our desire to submit ourselves to God is aroused."

So, how does the above apply to us in the present day and age? When we make the sign of the cross, it is a reminder of our baptism. It also brings to mind the general vocation that we as Catholics are called to, as illustrated in the rite for adult baptism when the priest signs the recipient with the cross saying:

"Receive the cross of Christ on your forehead. Christ Himself will guard you by this sign of love. Learn to know and follow that cross...Receive the cross on your breast, that by your faith Christ may find a dwelling place in your heart. Receive the sign of the cross on your shoulders so that you take on the sweet yoke of Christ. I sign you in your whole being 'in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit' that you may have life in eternity."

Let us not underestimate this "sign of love," for when we reverently make the sign of the cross, it is not only a confession of faith. It is also a reminder of the price that Christ paid for our healing and redemption so that we can call God "Abba! Father!" and eventually come into His presence in the glory of the kingdom of heaven.

The making of the sign of the cross, professing faith both in the redemption of Christ and in the Trinity, was practiced from the earliest centuries. St. Augustine (d. 430) mentioned and described it many times in his sermons and letters. In those days, Christians made the sign of the cross (Redemption) with three fingers (Trinity) on their foreheads. The words "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost" were added later. In the third century, Tertullian had already reported this touching and beautiful early Christian practice: "In all our undertakings—when we enter a place or leave it; before we dress; before we bathe; when we take our meals; when we light the lamps in the evening; before we retire at night; when we sit down to read; before each new task—we trace the sign of the cross on our foreheads" (Weiser, p. 256).

Thank you for your thorough reply. We are not so much in disagreement as it seems, but we are still in disagreement.

Have you ever said grace at a public lunch meeting such as a Rotary Club or some such. A Prayer Breakfast?

No, and I would never do that. I give my thanks in silence.

Public prayer is common in the Old Testament

Christians are not Old Testament Jews.

If public prayer is not allowed in the New Testament, it is definitely a change in what God allows.

There are a lot of things Christians don't do that the Hebrews did in the Old Testament, including slavery and polygamy. The Jewish idea of God is a little different from that of Christ.

Christ prayed publicly before He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:41-42) as well as on other occasions

He was inside a tomb where Lazarus was, so that's hardly equivalent to the Pharisaical hypocrisy Christ criticized. John's account is somewhat strange in that he alleges Jesus prayed so that the people would believe him. That's a new one and very uncharacteristic of Christ. But, that's also a biblical issue I don't feel like getting into.

Paul kneeled and prayed with the Ephesian elders before he left them (Acts 20:36).

Being a Pharisee I don't see a reason why he wouldn't.

1Corinthians 14:15-16 ...

Look, I am not interested in what Paul had to say. I was referring to the clear and unambiguous instruction documented in the Gospels, quoting Jesus as saying when you pray do so in private. Any church is one such private place.

If you carefully read this passage, you will see that Paul stresses the importance of praying with understanding so that those who occupy the room of the unlearned can say Amen at the giving of thanks

Correct. Praying in the Church is not the same as praying in public. Also, the liturgy was divided into the liturgy of the catechumens and the liturgy of the believers. At the end of the first part, the catechumens were asked to leave the church so that only the believers would pray. Christians only prayed with other Christians. Not in public.

We are directing the attention of others to the Lord and helping them rely on Him at this time.

God never asks anyone to lead us into prayer. He does direct everyone to pray in private.

This could also be called mutual prayer. It refers to times when more than one person participate in prayer together

As a Church (gathering of the faithful) that is not public prayer. The idea is that we all be one, and that we think with one mind, love with one heart and pray with one voice.

On one end of the spectrum, Jesus took three of His disciples with Him to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane

Again, this is not public prayer.

In a sense, they were to participate in His private prayer

We do this every Sunday in church. That's not public prayer.

In Acts 12:5, Peter was thrown into prison, “but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”

The faithful gathered and prayer. I doubt they were out in the public square.

When he is released, he goes to the house of Mary the mother of John Mark, “where many were gathered together praying” (Acts 12:12). This is not private prayer, but neither is it many people listening to one person praying and saying Amen. I believe it was one of the keys of the power of the early churches.

Gathering in private homes was what Christians did before they started building church buildings. Church is home. Church prayers are private prayers, not public prayers.

Paul pleaded with the Romans, “that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me” (Romans 15:30).

Roman believers, not pagans. Again, the Church prays together in private.

The Corinthians are expected to be “helping together by prayer for us” (2Corinthians 1:11).

None of this suggests any public prayer in mixed audience. This can not be compared to the prayer in Congress where some ambiguous "Lord" or "Maker" is addressed in front of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc. The Congress is not the Church. It is a heterodox gathering of believers and non-believers.

However, there are proper times for one person leading in public prayer and there are also proper times for God’s people to prayer together.

There is never a proper time for one person to lead in public prayer unless the gathered are all Christians, in which case it's not a public prayer. Leading the gathered Christians in prayer is not a public prayer. Neither is the communal prayer of the Church.

***Public prayer is just as “Pharisaical” as making public signs of the cross. ***

If one bows over a meal in public and makes the sign of the Cross without calling attention to one’s self, it is not really ‘public’.

***The Orthodox tend to cross a lot more than Catholics.***

True. It is not the quantity, overall, but it does indicate the role of religion in one’s life. I work with a number of individuals who belong to one of these new growing megachurches that will last until the pastor is caught with two male prostitutes, a Great Dane, and a freshwater eel. I find one just on the edge of Catholic beliefs; the rest are of the hand waving swaying fellowship types who find that attendance on Christmas to interfere with their holiday plans, and that Holy Week just really doesn’t apply to them.

***The Gospels teach humility and, consistent with that, that the expression of faith should not be boisterous and hypocritical. Jesus taught that we should pray in private, dark rooms, not public places. That’s why all Orthodox homes have a prayer corner in a remote part fo the house.***

Our basement has just such a room.

***Yet the Protesters want public prayers, at football games and schools. Our Congress has a chaplain who leads public prayer. In the military, chaplains lead public prayers at various non-religious ceremonies. Many public events are preceded by a public prayer.***

The blessing over the meal is public; one must differentiate that, yes?

***Clearly, the Catholic and Apostolic Church found it much harder to make the sign of a fish that so many Portesters sport on their cars, and found the sign of the cross a more appropriate and relevant symbol of the Christian faith.***

I find that the Darwin fish is an appropriate answer.

***It is what the early Church did and it is the unbroken tradition of the one true Church. Protestants in their own misery will invent any other kind of gestures so long as it is not what the Catholic Church does. Truly pathetic but consistent.***

Inventions of man versus the doctrines of the Church. Wheee.

If one bows over a meal in public and makes the sign of the Cross without calling attention to one’s self, it is not really ‘public’

I couldn't agree more.

the rest are of the hand waving swaying fellowship types who find that attendance on Christmas to interfere with their holiday plans, and that Holy Week just really doesn’t apply to them

Unless Christmas falls on a Sunday they don't go to "church." As if it's their birthday!

Our basement has just such a room

I think all devout Catholics find Orthodox practices either sensible or similar to what they practice, and vice versa. When I attended a Traditional Mass I saw an elderly gentleman pass by the Crucifix. He stopped, kissed his hand and touched Jesus' feet. I could perfectly relate to that. many people show their love for Christ by kinng the icons or kissing the hand and touching the icon with it.

The blessing over the meal is public; one must differentiate that, yes?

A church gathering is not 'public.' Leading a congregation on church grounds or at a religious gathering in prayer is not public prayer. Making prayers with Muslims and Jews and pagans gathered in the same room is unthinkable. Orthodox don't pray with non-Christians. Prayers inside the church are not 'public.' The Church is the Christian home. In fact the original churches were homes; the shape of a basilica is a typical Roman home. Nothing public about them.

Christian praying on church grounds with one heart and mind and love for Christ is not 'public' prayer either.

I find that the Darwin fish is an appropriate answer

Probably. :)

Inventions of man versus the doctrines of the Church. Wheee

It's almost an obsession to change tradition just to make it "mine," so to say. Excessive attention to one's self, egotism, pathological individualism, "being-full-of-one's selfism," narcissism, etc. In short: Pharisaical sin of pride and boasting.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.