One of today’s most taken-for-granted and often forgotten Catholic treasures is our Signum Crucis; the sign of the cross. Gone are the days when it was a norm in the daily lives of Catholics, as was depicted in the movie, “Born on the Fourth of July,” in where a scene shows the main character, played by Tom Cruise, dipping his fingers into a holy water font and signing himself as he entered his house. Such an act was all too common for Catholics who were part of, or raised by what is commonly referred to as the “greatest generation of Americans” - the generation who experienced WWII.

Unfortunately, things have drastically changed since then. For the most part, the Signum Crucis today is pretty much confined to church or the occasional prayer before meals. Not only is its frequency diminishing, but our understanding of its importance and merits is also fading. When compared to the greatest generation, especially those of the late 1950’s, our practice and catechesis on this Catholic treasure has been inferior, to say the least.

What the Greatest Generation Understood

It is safe to say that the practice of signing oneself was much more understood and practiced by the greatest generation because of the weekly Mass attendance for Catholics at the time, which in 1958 was at 74% compared to only 24% in 2014. In addition, the general catechesis was arguably much better than today. Catholics then were much more familiar with teachings from traditional sources such as the Fountain of Catholic Knowledge Office of Catholic Publications (Imprimatur, 1877) and The Catechist, by the Very Rev. Canon Howe (Imprimatur, 1898), which teaches the sign of the cross:

“Was first instituted by the Apostles themselves, who, invested with the authority of Jesus Christ, taught this religious practice to the first disciples of the Gospel; recalls to him who makes it, and to those who see it made, that Jesus Christ is the God of Christians and the Lord of their whole lives; reminds us that God has loved us so much as to give Himself up for our sakes to suffer on the Cross, and that we must love Him with our whole hearts; places incessantly before our eyes Jesus Christ crucified; recalls to him who makes it with reverence and devotion that he is bound to imitate in his daily conduct the penance, mortification, humility, meekness, patience, detachment, chastity, and obedience of his Master; His love for His heavenly Father and His Blessed Mother, and toward all men; His mercy to His enemies, and His love of suffering.”

These same Catholics not only better understood its history and meaning, but they also realized its protective qualities, especially when it came to Satan. The same source goes on to say:

“The Sign of the Cross rightly made unites the soul to God, gives the spirit of recollection, drives away the devil, and powerfully dissipates temptation; it gives to the Christian the spirit of faith, and preserves him from distraction and from worldliness [emphasis added]. . . Indulgences are given of 50 days for making the Sign of the Cross saying the words, and 100 days for the same when using holy water.’ [Changed to a simple partial indulgence, since 1968]

Its Need as Spiritual Armor and Weapon for Men

Whether single, married, or celibate; at the core of every man is the call to be the greatest version of themselves as fatherly men who love others concretely and sacrificially as Christ did. By doing this, men become capable of something that separates them from animals: self mastery over temptations and occasions to sin.

Oh, but this is much easier said than done because Satan constantly distracts us with worldly desires and temptations of the flesh. For the most part, men are confronted by the same evils as always, but Satan has stepped up his game, especially in the areas of chasteness and fidelity. One of today’s greatest evil involves the unprecedented increase in pornography. It is such a widespread concern that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) created a 32 page statement in November 2015 titled, “Make me a clean heart.” More than just a statement, it’s a pastoral response to a severe problem, which is brought to our attention in one of its early paragraphs:

“While the production and use of pornography has always been a problem, in recent years its impact has grown exponentially, in large part due to the Internet and mobile technology. Some have even described it as a public health crisis. Everyone, in some way, is affected by increased pornography use in society. We all suffer negative consequences from its distorted view of the human person and sexuality.”

While there are many scientific and sociological ways of combating and protecting oneself against pornography and Satan’s other temptations, none is complete unless the spiritual side is dealt with. Saint Peter reminds us that “our enemy the devil is on the prowl like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1Peter 5:8). Evil is real. Satan is real. He wants us to think he doesn’t exist. This is his greatest lie, and if we believe in it, we can never be free of the bondage that keeps us from the only true freedom made possible through the one true Triune God – God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Arming ourselves with Signum Crucis

In his book, “The Sign of the Cross,” Bert Ghezzi tells us that “the sign of the cross reminds the devil that we are Christ’s possession and that he dare not injure us. The gesture repels him because it recalls the painful memory of his defeat.” He goes on to encourage and challenge us by saying:

“We, the members of the Church, the Body of Christ, have the privilege of enforcing the Lord’s triumph over the devil. The tables are turned, and the intended victims of Satan’s onslaught have become his conquerors. So until Jesus comes again, we will have to fight skirmishes with the devil. No doubt about it, he is a dangerous adversary. But we must never forget the Lord has given us the upper hand; He has won the war, and all we have to do is apply His victory to our daily lives. Like St. Christopher, we must take the Lord as our master, and armed with His holy sign, join Him in battle against our mutual enemy.”

In an interview with ZENIT, he says, "One of the main teachings of the early Church Fathers is that the sign of the cross is a declaration of defense against the devil. When you sign yourself, you are declaring to the devil, “Hands off. I belong to Christ; he is my protection.” It’s both an offensive and defensive tool . . . it’s not something to be taken casually. The sign of the cross has enormous power as a sacramental; it does not cause the spiritual thing it signifies but draws on the prayer of the Church to affect us in our lives. The sign of the cross is the supreme sacramental [emphasis added]."

Satan tries anything to prevent you from signing yourself, especially in public because the only thing worse than making a personal declaration against him is influencing others to do the same through your example. Next time you are in a public setting, such as in a restaurant, and you feel inclined to not sign yourself or avoid detection; understand that Satan is behind such inclinations. This in itself is a testament to the power of Signum Crucis.

Surround Ourselves with Signum Crucis

In addition to arming ourselves, we need to find as many ways and opportunities to surround ourselves with bands of brothers who take the Signum Crucis seriously. One of the best ways of doing this is through forms of public worship, starting with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. This was done by the greatest generation of Catholics, whose only form of Mass was the Tridentine Latin Mass. From the beginning to the end, the sign of the cross is made over 50 times (much more if one counts all the times communion is placed on the tongue of a recipient). The significance of this was expounded upon by St. Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica. Here is a sampling glimpse of his writing:

“The priest, in celebrating the mass, makes use of the sign of the cross to signify Christ's Passion which was ended upon the cross. Now, Christ's Passion was accomplished in certain stages. First of all there was Christ's betrayal, which was the work of God, of Judas, and of the Jews; and this is signified by the triple sign of the cross at the words, "These gifts, these presents, these holy unspotted sacrifices."

Secondly, there was the selling of Christ. Now he was sold to the Priests, to the Scribes, and to the Pharisees: and to signify this threefold sign of the cross is repeated, at the words, "blessed, enrolled, ratified." Or again, to signify the price for which He was sold, viz. thirty pence. And a double cross is added at the words---"that it may become to us the Body and the Blood," etc., to signify the person of Judas the seller, and of Christ Who was sold.

Thirdly, there was the foreshadowing of the Passion at the last supper. To denote this, in the third place, two crosses are made, one in consecrating the body, the other in consecrating the blood; each time while saying, "He blessed."

Fourthly, there was Christ's Passion itself. And so in order to represent His five wounds, in the fourth place, there is a fivefold signing of the cross at the words, "a pure Victim, a holy Victim, a spotless Victim, the holy bread of eternal life, and the cup of everlasting salvation," and so on. . .

In addition to the Mass, the sign of the cross has traditionally been prevalent in the sacraments. A great example of this is found in the Right for Baptism of Adults, which according to the 1962 Rituale Romanum is made at least 49 times.

Everyday Signum Crucis

Fortunately, the treasury of traditions enjoyed by the greatest generation is still available to us today through the 1962 Rituale Romanum, and the Extraordinary Form of the Mass (Tridentine Latin Mass), which Pope Benedict XVI referred to as the Church’s “holiest and highest possession” in the book “Salt of the Earth. “

These efficacious treasures not only aid us in our road to salvation, but they also remind us to make the Signum Crucis a part of our normal daily lives outside of public worship. Here are just a few ways men can do this:

• First thing in the morning and the last thing in the evening in order to seek God’s protection day and night.
• Entering and leaving the house, preferably using a Holy Water font.
• Before and after each meal.
• Before turning the ignition of your car.
• Before opening the internet browser to prepare against attacks of impurity.
• Each time one passes billboards and advertisements for strip clubs and adult stores (both for you and for those involved in such industry because they too need our prayers).
• When confronted with temptations and occasions of sin.

Do Not Take Lightly

For the past two thousand plus years; a plethora of Church Fathers, Saints, and Religious have reminded us of the power of the Signum Crucis. As Ghezzi mentioned earlier, “it’s not something to be taken casually.” Do not rush through it or make attempts to avoid detection. You are your own personal gauge when it comes to the level of understanding you have about it. If you do it negligently, irreverently, or without thought; it loses all its influence and virtue, not to mention the pain it brings to our Lord.

To every man reading this: Put on your coat of armor, and hold tight to your weapon as you inscribe the holy words, “In nomine patris, et filii, et spiritus sancti,” into your innermost being. Live the rest of your days bearing this gift from God, and remember these words of Pope Benedict XVI:

“The world promises you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.”