Sign of the Cross: Thumb, index finger, and middle finger?

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If this is your heaviest cross to bear, and the greatest persecution you are facing, Rejoice!
 
I do agree that I respect her wishes because I did say that they should follow what mommy teaches. My frustration is that she told me my way was the wrong way and then went to a Google site to further tell me my way was out dated and out of fashion. I really am not some pious know-it-all at all, but I am deeply troubled by how she has addressed this and how she has made me feel.
 
PeterT - She uses one finger to make the sign of Sign of the Cross.
 
jim1130 said:
I do agree that I respect her wishes because I did say that they should follow what mommy teaches.
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That’s wonderful - I’m not too sure everyone finding themselves in a similar situation would do the same, so I find that admirable.
jim1130 said:
My frustration is that she told me my way was the wrong way
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Due to limited ignorance perhaps as may have been based on only her own upbringing/experience. Unnecessary and sad that she did, rather than ask you why you do it that way and then googling it to see what info there was about it - who/where other Catholics make the sign of the cross that way. ETA - unnecessary and unfortunate.
jim1130 said:
then went to a Google site to further tell me my way was out dated and out of fashion.
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That’s a pity, but as someone uninvolved I can see both sides. I am not saying this to give offense, so I hope you will read this charitably. Perhaps she was trying to find proof (as many nowadays demand proof ) to back up or explain her understanding of why she thought/believed it was not done that way anymore. From your perspective I think you showed restraint in only being frustrated with her, though I think it’d be reasonable to be offended. ETA - as I would have been.
jim1130 said:
I am deeply troubled by how she has addressed this and how she has made me feel.
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Justified in this situation. Sadly, we don’t always think before reacting or speaking and only in hindsight do we see how we should have acted and been more charitable towards the other person.

Be at peace within yourself regarding your way of making the Sign of the Cross (at least you do make it). I can only see a few options in moving forward with this in your relationship with her as others have suggested already in addition to my earlier suggestion which was in the last paragraph of my previous comment.
 
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CRV - Thank you for the very kind and thoughtful response. I am grateful and appreciative for what you shared with me and I do want to be careful. I may have been overly sensitive, but the presentation was rather harsh and confrontational. Your words and kindness and neutrality mean a lot. I trust you are having a great day and may great days continue to follow you. Jim
 
Thank you for your generosity of spirit, willingness to concede any possible mistake on your behalf as well as trying to interpret her actions and my own comments in a favorable light as you possibly can.

God bless you today and always.
 
The thumb, index finger and middle finger are joined in honor of the Holy Trinity - +Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The pinky finger and ringer finger are on the palm to show that the Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, has two natures, Divine and human, in the unity of His Divine Person:

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Sorry for the bad picture quality but I’m not good at selfies. (That’s my hand.)
 
Byzantine and Ukrainian Greek Catholics make the Sign of the Cross with three fingers (as shown in my selfie :-0
 
This happened to me recently:

The RC church near me has an adoration chapel where I occasionally go to spend time with Our Lord.

As I was leaving, the other adorer made a sign that she wanted to talk to me, so we closed the chapel door and spoke in the sign-in area.

She gently told me that I was making the Sign of the Cross the wrong way i.e. right to left. At first, I was shocked but regained my composure and told her that I’m Ukrainian Greek Catholic (same Pope, different Liturgy!), that we always make the Sign of the Cross from right to left and explained why. She looked surprised (maybe she never heard of the Eastern Catholic Churches) and went back to adoration.
 
I cannot believe that somebody at adoration is watching how the other people there are praying instead of focusing on Our Lord.

The only time I ever even looked at what someone else was doing there was when someone was making noise, or in one really tiny chapel where a lady used to kneel on the floor right under the Blessed Sacrament holding up her iPad from which she silently prayed some long prayer for about 15 minutes. It would have been hard to miss her given that the whole chapel is like 10 feet square and she was kneeling right under Jesus.
 
Please, guys, stop. I don’t want to flag either one of you.

jim, thistle is very blunt and to the point, but they are a good poster and do not mean harm. It’s a posting style.
thistle, go easy, the guy doesn’t know you yet.

Peace!!
 
You could perform the sign of the cross any way you’d like, provided you’re sincere.

I do it your way (sans the kiss) my grandmother does two fingers, and my boyfriend uses all five fingers.

She’s being way too picky and overbearing!
 
jim1130 said:
I have gone online myself and read references that it is the Byzantine Rite Sign of the Cross and also that it is still acceptable in the Latin Rite.
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About half the time, I make the sign of the cross the Byzantine way, anyway. The Church is diverse, and many different cultures developed ways of doing things. Truth be told, no one is going to stop you from doing one over the other. Heck, when I go to the Byzantine liturgy at the Melkite church, a good chunk of people (though, not the majority) are doing it the Latin way, anyway.
 
Margaret_Ann said:
She gently told me that I was making the Sign of the Cross the wrong way i.e. right to left. At first, I was shocked but regained my composure and told her that I’m Ukrainian Greek Catholic (same Pope, different Liturgy!), that we always make the Sign of the Cross from right to left and explained why. She looked surprised (maybe she never heard of the Eastern Catholic Churches) and went back to adoration
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Has happened to me, too.
 
An iPad…in the chapel?

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