I am Catholic. What is the sign mean that happens before the Gospel?

Question

Its the thing that every one does at right before the Gosble is given. I never do it becase i dont know what it means. I always feel embasrised becase i dont do it. But when i was rasied our only a few people did it in the church.

Answer 1

It is called a "tradition", not coming from the Bible , but one of the many "inventions" of the RCC.

Answer 2

The sign itself is tracing a small cross with your thumb on the forehead, your mouth, and then your heart.

In doing this, you are asking God to hell you meditate and understand the Gospel (with the cross sign on the forehead), speak the Gospel faithfully (with the sign on the mouth), and love the Gospel (with the sign on the heart).

Sometimes it does feel embarassing to do these gestures, even when everyone else is doing the same, when you're not sure what it's all about. Never be afraid to ask if you have any more questions.

Answer 3

When the priest or deacon says, "A reading from the Holy Gospel according to (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John).

We trace a small cross with our right thumb on our forehead, on our lips and on our heart while quietly praying, "May the Gospel be on my mind, on my lips, and in my heart."

We are asking God to help us to always remember the Gospel message, to proclaim it, and to live it.

http://www.archden.org/archbishop/docs/11_06_02_scripture_liturgy.htm
http://chnetwork.org/forums/forum58/1403.html

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

You use your thumb to trace a cross over your forehead, lips and chest. It hearkens back to an Old Testament verse about binding the word of God to your mind, lips and heart.

Answer 5

You take youre thumb, make a cross on the forehead, lips, and chest.

Symbolizing it's always on your mind, your lips, and heart...

Answer 6

What Peter Priesthood said.

Answer 7

It means:

"make me holy in thought (forehead), my words (mouth), and heart (heart)"