5 power in the signs of the cross

salvation found in that love. But there are many things that most of us don’t know about this sacramental. Here are just five facets of the sign of the cross that you may not be aware of.

1. It has been important since the early church.
In his Catechetical Lectures, the saint powerfully wrote about how vital it is to purposefully make the sign of the cross every day. He wrote “Let us then not be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the cross our seal, made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat and the cups we drink, in our comings and in our goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are traveling, and when we are at rest.”

2. The sign of the cross is made with purpose.
Despite the fact that Western Church Catholics make the sign in a different way than the Catholics in the Eastern Rites and Orthodox Churches, we should be united in the sanctity of the action. We should allow the holy action to deepen our commitment to our faith. We should also offer our love and gratitude to the Holy Trinity when we make the sign of the cross.
Christians. Also, must remember that the cross is the sign of our salvation: Jesus Christ, true God who became true man, offered the perfect sacrifice for our redemption from sin on the altar of the cross. This simple yet profound act makes each person mindful of the great love of God for us, a love that is stronger than death and promises everlasting life. The sign of the cross should be made with purpose and precision, not hastily or carelessly.”

3. It prepares us for the Mysteries of Faith.
In 2008, during the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Lourdes, Pope Benedict XVI addressed the many pilgrims who had travelled to the holy place where Blessed Mother had first appeared to Saint Bernadette. In his homily, he spoke of how the sign of the cross was an important part of the life-changing apparitions.

4. The sign of the cross is connected to our baptism.
For those of us who were born and raised in the Catholic faith, one of the first times we encountered the sign of the cross was during one of the most important events in our lives. We experienced the blessing when we received the holy sacrament of Baptism.
At the beginning of the Baptism ceremony, the sign of the cross is made on our heads and close to our hearts. It signifies that we will belong to Christ. It also is a sign of the grace of redemption that Jesus gave us when He gave His life to redeem us.

5. It prepares us for the Word of God.
Making the sign of the cross in this way is actually an unspoken prayer. With it, we are asking God to permanently engrave the message of the Gospel on our minds, our lips and our hearts. It’s a beautiful way of asking God to enlighten and sanctify our thoughts, our words and our souls with the Word of God, so that we may live holy lives that are pleasing to God.
Although making the sign of the cross is a simple action, it is also a profound one that can empower us by strengthening our faith. It’s wonderful to reflect on several different aspects of this sacramental. But, above all, we honour the Holy Trinity and renew our commitment to our faith when we remember the infinite, miraculous sacrificial love present in the “Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” lifted up and pouring down from the Cross.