Why, and when do you make the sign of
the of the Cross...what does this mean to you?
2007-07-03 06:38:27 · 12 answers · asked by Kerilyn 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thank You, everyone who answered my question...I have always wondered about it...now I know ....THANKS....
2007-07-03 07:00:50 · update #1
I open my hand and touch my brow, and say,
"In the name of the Father"
Then I touch my heart with my hand, and say,
"and of the Son."
I touch my shoulders left and right, and say,
"and of the Holy Spirit"
I say,
"Amen."
The Sign of the Cross is
+ A statement of belief in the Holy Trinity
+ A statement of belief in and thanksgiving for Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross
+ God blessing us
+ Us Blessing God ("I will bless the Lord at all times")
+ A prayer using your entire body
+ A Bible quote (Matthew 28:19)
With love in Christ.
2007-07-03 18:32:33 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Sign of the Cross is actually a prayer in and of itself, both the words and the gestures. It typically is used to start and finish a series of prayers (e.g., before and after saying the Prayer Before Meals), upon entering a church, etc.
It is something of a "centering" prayer to me. When I pray it, I know I am getting focussed. As I touch my forehead, stomach and shoulders and say, "In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit," I am simultaneously thinking that I must love the Lord my God with all my mind, heart, soul and strength.
Initially, FWIW, the sign of the cross was made with one's right thumb only on one's forehead, a recalling of the Scripture verse that says we will be "marked" by the Holy Spirit. I am pretty sure it was traced in an "X" shape -- still a cross of course, but representing the first letter of the word Christ in Greek (X = Chi = "ch"). It eventually was rotated slightly and took a bigger form to represent the Cross upon which our Lord was crucified.
2007-07-03 07:01:16 · answer #2 · answered by sparki777 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
When I do it, it's a sign that I believe that the Holy Trinity is one and three at the same time:
The Father
The Son
And the Holy Spirit
This way, a celestial being, a human being, and a spirit are all three different things, but at the same time exist as one. A mystery, but I have faith in it.
When I do the sign of the Cross, it enters me into my prayer life. When I do it once again, it puts my prayer life aside for the moment. It is also a sign of respect and reverence for the Church.
2007-07-03 07:25:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Usually I make the sign of the Cross when I begin and end my prayers. The Sign of the Cross is a prayer to the Trinity and reminds us of the Cross that we carry everyday.
The Sign of the Cross is also used when blessing oneself with Holy Water as a reminder of their Baptism.
2007-07-03 06:45:13 · answer #4 · answered by Maurus B. 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
We make the sign of the cross any time we pray, either privately or publicly. It is symbolic of the Trinity, which is who we are praying to. Protestants frequently end their prayers with "in Jesus' name", which is fine. Catholics begin and end their prayers "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".
2007-07-03 06:54:32 · answer #5 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I will answer the best I can but I must stress that I am not a priest or theologian. The textbook answer is that it is an affirmation of the Holy Trinity.
To me it is a little pre-prayer and post-prayer prayer. If you pay close attention you might hear old, or old-fashioned people, say "This and all we do ... in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit".
2007-07-03 06:43:51 · answer #6 · answered by Adoptive Father 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
The meaning which I was taught, (which is what it means to me), is that you ask God that his words exist in your mind, soul, and mouth (when you speak). It is also a reminder of our "baptism". One tradition which is probably lost now, is you "genuflect" when passing a Catholic church, a salute if you will. When I was going to school on a military base in Spain, it was proper to place your hand over your heart when you passed an American flag. That was sign of respect for the flag and what it represented.
When?, when entering a church at the door, there is "holy water" to dip your fingers in, so that when you genuflect, in a sense you "re-baptize" yourself in your faith, and remind yourself of Christ forgiveness. When done, you say, "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirtit".
Peace child!
2007-07-03 07:16:52 · answer #7 · answered by burn out 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are two reasons why we do it: one, in recognition of the Holy Trinity, and two, to remind ourselves of Christ's redemptive work on the Cross.
We do it at certain set points in the Mass. We also do it at other occasions -- including private prayer, before and after meals, in foxholes, and before stepping into the batter's box.
.
2007-07-03 06:45:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
It is mainly a blessing. We make the sign of the Cross in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
It symbolizes God blessing us, and our belief in God from whom all our blessings flow.
2007-07-03 06:46:26 · answer #9 · answered by Clare † 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Several reasons:
To remind me of Jesus' death.
To remind me of the Holy Trinity
To remind me of the Deity of Christ
To remind myself to pray.
To sanctify myself to prayer.
I also do it whenever I hear a siren, to say a prayer for the victim, or the Fire Dept. or the Police or the ambulance driver.
2007-07-03 06:46:56 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 0⤋