Sign of the cross

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If you make the sign of the cross, what does it mean to you?

If making the sign of the cross is not part of your spiritual experience, what is the reason for not signing?
 
The Sign of the Cross
The most basic Christian gesture in prayer is and always will be the sign of the cross. It is a way of confessing Christ crucified with one’s very body … To seal oneself with the sign of the cross is a visible and public Yes to him who suffered for us; to him who in the body has made God’s love visible, even to the utmost; to the God who reigns not by destruction but by the humility of suffering and love, which is stronger than all the power of the world and wiser than all the calculating intelligence of men. The sign of the cross is a confession of faith: I believe in him who suffered for me and rose again; in him who has transformed the sign of shame into a sign of hope and of the love of God that is present with us. The confession of faith is a confession of hope: I believe in him who in his weakness is the Almighty; in him who can and will save me even in apparent absence and impotence. By signing ourselves with the cross, we place ourselves under the protection of the cross, hold it in front of us like a shield that will guard us in all the distress of daily life and give us the courage to go on. We accept it as a signpost that we follow … The cross shows us the road of life — the imitation of Christ. . .Whenever we make the sign of the cross, we accept our Baptism anew; Christ from the cross draws us, so to speak, to himself. . .We make the sign of the cross on ourselves and thus enter the power of the blessing of Jesus Christ. We make the sign over people to whom we wish a blessing … Through the cross, we can become sources of blessing for one another.
  • Pope Benedict XVI
 
po18guy said:
The Sign of the Cross
The most basic Christian gesture in prayer is and always will be the sign of the cross. It is a way of confessing Christ crucified with one’s very body … To seal oneself with the sign of the cross is a visible and public Yes to him who suffered for us; to him who in the body has made God’s love visible, even to the utmost; to the God who reigns not by destruction but by the humility of suffering and love, which is stronger than all the power of the world and wiser than all the calculating intelligence of men. The sign of the cross is a confession of faith: I believe in him who suffered for me and rose again; in him who has transformed the sign of shame into a sign of hope and of the love of God that is present with us. The confession of faith is a confession of hope: I believe in him who in his weakness is the Almighty; in him who can and will save me even in apparent absence and impotence. By signing ourselves with the cross, we place ourselves under the protection of the cross, hold it in front of us like a shield that will guard us in all the distress of daily life and give us the courage to go on. We accept it as a signpost that we follow … The cross shows us the road of life — the imitation of Christ. . .Whenever we make the sign of the cross, we accept our Baptism anew; Christ from the cross draws us, so to speak, to himself. . .We make the sign of the cross on ourselves and thus enter the power of the blessing of Jesus Christ. We make the sign over people to whom we wish a blessing … Through the cross, we can become sources of blessing for one another.
  • Pope Benedict XVI
Click to expand...
Amen
 
po18guy said:
The Sign of the Cross
The most basic Christian gesture in prayer is and always will be the sign of the cross. It is a way of confessing Christ crucified with one’s very body … To seal oneself with the sign of the cross is a visible and public Yes to him who suffered for us; to him who in the body has made God’s love visible, even to the utmost; to the God who reigns not by destruction but by the humility of suffering and love, which is stronger than all the power of the world and wiser than all the calculating intelligence of men. The sign of the cross is a confession of faith: I believe in him who suffered for me and rose again; in him who has transformed the sign of shame into a sign of hope and of the love of God that is present with us. The confession of faith is a confession of hope: I believe in him who in his weakness is the Almighty; in him who can and will save me even in apparent absence and impotence. By signing ourselves with the cross, we place ourselves under the protection of the cross, hold it in front of us like a shield that will guard us in all the distress of daily life and give us the courage to go on. We accept it as a signpost that we follow … The cross shows us the road of life — the imitation of Christ. . .Whenever we make the sign of the cross, we accept our Baptism anew; Christ from the cross draws us, so to speak, to himself. . .We make the sign of the cross on ourselves and thus enter the power of the blessing of Jesus Christ. We make the sign over people to whom we wish a blessing … Through the cross, we can become sources of blessing for one another.
  • Pope Benedict XVI
Click to expand...
ICXC NiKA
 
Wannano said:
If you make the sign of the cross, what does it mean to you?

If making the sign of the cross is not part of your spiritual experience, what is the reason for not signing?
Click to expand...
It is a very powerful, nonverbal prayer.
 
In the early Church for the sign of the cross anytime they did a + on the forehead-- I still use this personally in addition to the common form now…

“Be the cross our seal, made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in every thing; over the bread we eat and the cups we drink, in our comings and in goings; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are travelling, and when we are at rest”. St. Cyril of Jerusalem

And regarding the sign of the cross per se:

“Making the sign of the cross – as we will do during the blessing – means saying a visible and public “yes” to the One who died and rose for us, to God who in the humility and weakness of His love is the Almightly, stronger than all the power and intelligence of the world.”

-Pope Benedict XVI
Angelus
September 11, 2005

He also talks about it when he was Cardinal in the Spirit of the Liturgy…as a renewal of baptism…as a shield…etc…go read that chapter
 
Wannano said:
If you make the sign of the cross, what does it mean to you?

If making the sign of the cross is not part of your spiritual experience, what is the reason for not signing?
Click to expand...
THAT:

Christ Has DIED

Christ Has Risen

Christ WILL come again!👍
 
I started making the sign of the cross as an Anglican, before I became Catholic.

As well as being a non verbal prayer, it reminds me that I am placing myself under God’s will. The physical act of making the sign also seems to create a connection for me that a purely verbal confession doesn’t 🙂
 
Kanade said:
I started making the sign of the cross as an Anglican, before I became Catholic.

As well as being a non verbal prayer, it reminds me that I am placing myself under God’s will. The physical act of making the sign also seems to create a connection for me that a purely verbal confession doesn’t 🙂
Click to expand...
👍

On a side note, your comments about verbal and non-verbal prayer reminds me of the fact that some Christians pray by typing prayers on the Internet. Anyone else notice that?
 
Peter_J said:
👍

On a side note, your comments about verbal and non-verbal prayer reminds me of the fact that some Christians pray by typing prayers on the Internet. Anyone else notice that?
Click to expand...
Yes, I’ve seen that on some other sites and apps for prayer intentions. I wonder if writing a prayer out as you say it makes a difference? Maybe writing out a prayer you know by heart helps you focus on it in a different way than just saying it by rote?

Going back to the OP, can making the sign of the cross become simply a reflex gesture? I’ve seen some people make it at light speed…
 
Wannano said:
If you make the sign of the cross, what does it mean to you?

If making the sign of the cross is not part of your spiritual experience, what is the reason for not signing?
Click to expand...
The Sign of the Cross, for me, serves as a reminder of my baptism in the Name of the Father +, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
 
po18guy said:
The Sign of the Cross
The most basic Christian gesture in prayer is and always will be the sign of the cross. It is a way of confessing Christ crucified with one’s very body … To seal oneself with the sign of the cross is a visible and public Yes to him who suffered for us; to him who in the body has made God’s love visible, even to the utmost; to the God who reigns not by destruction but by the humility of suffering and love, which is stronger than all the power of the world and wiser than all the calculating intelligence of men. The sign of the cross is a confession of faith: I believe in him who suffered for me and rose again; in him who has transformed the sign of shame into a sign of hope and of the love of God that is present with us. The confession of faith is a confession of hope: I believe in him who in his weakness is the Almighty; in him who can and will save me even in apparent absence and impotence. By signing ourselves with the cross, we place ourselves under the protection of the cross, hold it in front of us like a shield that will guard us in all the distress of daily life and give us the courage to go on. We accept it as a signpost that we follow … The cross shows us the road of life — the imitation of Christ. . .Whenever we make the sign of the cross, we accept our Baptism anew; Christ from the cross draws us, so to speak, to himself. . .We make the sign of the cross on ourselves and thus enter the power of the blessing of Jesus Christ. We make the sign over people to whom we wish a blessing … Through the cross, we can become sources of blessing for one another.
  • Pope Benedict XVI
Click to expand...
Beautiful. Thanks!
 
So this is something that Christians do, who aren’t confirmed Catholics?

There are other gestures people do that I don’t understand… I’ve only been to one mass…
 
Cassandra_Lyn said:
So this is something that Christians do, who aren’t confirmed Catholics?

There are other gestures people do that I don’t understand… I’ve only been to one mass…
Click to expand...
Greetings.

Yes, Lutherans and Anglicans make the sign of the cross. And I think some Methodists may as well.

In our faith the sign of the cross is a minor rite of exorcism. In protestant circles I think they just see it as a reminder.
 
Lenten_ashes said:
Greetings.

Yes, Lutherans and Anglicans make the sign of the cross. And I think some Methodists may as well.

In our faith the sign of the cross is a minor rite of exorcism. In protestant circles I think they just see it as a reminder.
Click to expand...
A reminder of one’s baptism.

Jon
 
Lenten_ashes said:
Greetings.

Yes, Lutherans and Anglicans make the sign of the cross. And I think some Methodists may as well.

In our faith the sign of the cross is a minor rite of exorcism. In protestant circles I think they just see it as a reminder.
Click to expand...
I also think Eastern Orthodox Oriental Orthodox and Church of the East folks do as well.
 
Wannano said:
If you make the sign of the cross, what does it mean to you?

If making the sign of the cross is not part of your spiritual experience, what is the reason for not signing?
Click to expand...
If you are interested, children always love this explanation:

It is a prayer done with the hands. It is saying:
  • Lord, give me
    [hands at head] wisdom
    [heart] love
    [shoulders] strength
 
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