Hello everyone,
I am a protestant who would like to know on what occasions Catholiics are supposed to make the sign of the cross.
My main exposure to people making the sign of the cross has been through watching sports on TV like baseball or soccer where I will occasionally see an athlete (usually a Latin American or European athlete) make the sign of a cross and then kiss the cross before going to bat in baseball or before entering the soccer game, like I saw in the World Cup.
I was mainly interested in knowing whether it is akin to a good luck gesture or asking for the Lord’s help or what the exact meaning is.
I assume that Catholics do it at other times as well, and I was curious as to what are customary occasions for Catholics to make the sign of the cross besides participating in sports.
Since the Cross is the Sign of Victory, Catholics glory in the Shadow of It’s Beauty. The Sign of the Cross is the basic form of prayer and adoration. As we are making the Beloved Sign, we say “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen” In the Traditional Latin Mass, the Sign is make some 52 times, since the Mass is the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Calvary. Christ is present in the Host and in the Chalice, both Corporal and Spiritual.
We make the Sign at the beginning of the day, at every meal, when reading the Bible, before all formal prayers, like the Holy Mass and Divine Office, and at times of temptation and in need of either Divine Assistance or Saintly aid.
The early Christians would make the Sign on their foreheads with their thumbs. The Church Fathers encouraged repeated performing of the Sign at everything: leaving your house, before going to bed, getting up, going to the toilet, sitting down etc. We also make the Sign when we pass a Catholic Church, or a Shrine, or before a consecrated site, since the Blessing of God is upon them.
The Sign of the Cross is not a good luck gesture, but rather a way of adoring Christ, and the Blessed Trinity. When we perform the Sign, we take a minute to dwell upon the Majesty of the Most High, Who revealed to us His Wisdom and Preached to us His Gospel. We give thanks to Him for the many benefits He grants to us, the Love He shows toward us, and the Care He provides for us in our daily needs.
We also make the Sign when we ask a Saint to pray for us. Since the Saints are alive in God in Heaven, and are aware of their brethren on earth, they too glory in the Holy Cross, which the Divine Redeemer was Pleased to embrace. The Sign is the first prayer that Holy Mother Church commands be taught to children. Since children under 7 years are not culpable for their sins, they must be taught the Sign for when they reach maturity, and are held accountable for their sins.
I give thanks to God that you have an interest in the Adorable Sign. The Devil flees from you when he sees you make this Beloved Gesture, especially when it is done with Holy Water (a sign of our Baptism.)
The Sign of the Cross is mentioned in the Old Testament, when God commands that the Tau be placed on everyone’s forehead. The Tau is a “T” shape, a prefigurement of the Holy Cross.
