WHY DO CATHOLICS DO THAT? Make the Sign of the Cross?

"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit"

Catholics, and even non-Catholics, are familiar with the Sign of the Cross done by Catholics before and after prayer. In Mass, it is immediately following the processional.

But, why do we do it? Why, especially, do Catholics begin Mass with the Sign of the Cross?

One of my favorite authors is Dr. Edward Sri, and he explains this concept beautifully in his phenomenal book "A Biblical Walk Through the Mass".

"The Sign of the Cross is not simply a way to begin praying. it is itself a powerful prayer that is meant to pour out tremendous blessings on our lives. When we make the Sign of the Cross...we enter a sacred tradition that goes back to the early centuries of Christianity, when this ritual was understood to be a source of divine power and protection. In making this sign, we invoke God's presence and invite him to bless us, assist us, and guard us from all harm. It is not surprising that the early Chritians made the Sign of the Cross quite often, desiring to tap into the power that lay therein."

Beautiful isn't it? For what has become a "ritual" and something we do automatically, with very little thought, it has great power in our life.

The motions of the Sign of the Cross, like everything else in the Christian life, point us toward Jesus and the salvation we have through Him. 

The gesture itself reminds us of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross at Calvary. It brings to our mind the truth that Jesus conquered sin and death for us through His shedding of blood on Calvary.

The words we say have power. The words, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" spoken when we make the Sign of the Cross remind us that it is through the Holy Trinity that we have Divine life, Salvation, and Redemption. It is through the Trinity that we have been purchased by the blood of Christ and our sins have been forgiven. It is through the Holy Trinity that we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us as we walk through this earthly life. 

Baptism and the Sign of the Cross

When we make the Sign of the Cross, we are also reminding ourselves of our Baptism. It is in the Sacrament of Baptism that we become part of the Church - part of the family of God. It is in Baptism we also hear the words, again, 'in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit".

Our Baptism cleanses us from Original Sin, just as the blood shed on Calvary by Christ cleanses us from all sins.

Don't make it repetition - make it powerful

The Sign of the Cross, as Catholics, is done so frequently that it often becomes nothing more than mere habit, ritual, and motions. It is just "something we do". The next time, however, you make the Sign of the Cross, remember that it is a powerful prayer itself. It is packed with meaning, importance, and power.

How to make it different

Through constant repetition it can become "old" and mundane. The next time you enter Mass and make the Sign of the Cross, picture your saint. Imagine what your saint might have looked like and thought as he or she did the Sign of the Cross. Imagine what the Blessed Mother Mary looked like as she did the cross, especially as it would have taken her back to the horrendous day she witnessed her Son's sacrifice on Calvary. Imagine what the martyrs thought as they would have made the Sign of the Cross while leaving this world to enter their eternal home. 

Imagine.....now....go make the Sign of the Cross and meditate on its meaning and the role it has in your faith journey.