is the sign of the cross?

Question

why do catholics sign them self with the cross?
is it biblical?

i guess you are more tradition then following Gods way, that's sad.
all the prophets praid to God with lifted heands, kneeline, bowing. no where in the bible talks about crossing your self.

p.s where are all the christians, how come you haven't back me up on this!!

Answer 1

No, it is just for show, just like the Pharisees.They did everything for show, even when they prayed.

Answer 2

First and most simply, the sign of the cross is a prayer like any other prayer. It is special and important to Catholics because it is a prayer of the heart and body. We are body and soul. We pray with both. Many non-Catholics have a hard time accepting the idea of prayer with the body in the form of kneeling, standing, crossing yourself, bowing, facing certain directions etc. during their church services but it is normal for Catholics and all early Christians. The sign of the cross can be said and done when you pass by a crucifix. It is a sign of reverence.

I see the practice done in two general ways. This is likely not a complete exegesis.

One, we use it to acknowledge that everything comes from God, like when we say "through him with him and in him". So all prayers can have the sign of the cross at the end and beginning for this reason. We ask in Jesus name as he told us to do, "If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it. John 14:14

Two, it signifies a blessing. It is used when blessing others as when the priest often moves his hand in the sign of the cross when blessing the gifts, when blessing the people or when blessing a person's forehead or hand in one of the sacraments. A person may make the sign of the cross on himself when he or she is blessed as a sign of acknowledgement that one have been blessed by God such as after absolution during confession or after a homily during mass.

Answer 3

When Catholics sign themselves with the cross, it is a silent prayer or calling or acknowledgement that God is all powerful and they seek his Blessing. It goes like this: "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen."

Answer 4

Making the sign of the cross, while saying, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." is every bit as biblical as the doctrine of Holy Trinity, on which it is based.

Answer 5

It gives reverance to the Holy Trinity (The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit)

Answer 6

The early Christian apologist Tertullian wrote, "In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the bath, at the table, in lighting our candles, in lying down, in sitting down, whatever employment occupies us, we mark our forehead with the sign of the cross."

Athanasius, the great bishop of Alexandria who almost single-handedly stood for Christian orthodoxy against the powerful Arian heresy, taught his flock that "by the sign of the cross...all magic is stayed, all sorcery confounded, all the idols are abandoned and deserted, and all senseless pleasure ceases, as the eye of faith looks up from Earth to heaven."

Cyril of Jerusalem echoed Tertullian as he encouraged the Church: "Let us not be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Let the cross, as our seal, be boldly made with our fingers upon our brow and on all occasions over the bread we eat, over the cups we drink, in our comings and in our goings, before sleep, on lying down and rising up, when we are on the way and when we are still."

Answer 7

does it matter if its biblical? It is used as a blessing, protection, and in the manner of genuflecting (respect). It is really something to just remind us of what we believe also.

Answer 8

Is using the internet Biblical? What about flush toilets?

Answer 9

YES ,, WE ALL DO IT WHEN WE FACE GOD ,, well thats wot they told me ,, yeah am a catholic.. for my SINS ,,,,

ps, it means , in the name of the father the son and the holy ghost amen ......for my sins ,,

Answer 10

it has meaning, the vertical and the horizontal lines of the cross represents something but I forget