Making the Sign of the Cross is a holy thing to do

For some time, I have been thinking of posting onto my blog a meditation by one of the nuns of Bethany House in Yardley Wood, about the most basic sacramental of the Catholic Faith: the Sign of the Cross.  She was shocked when she came to Britain from Africa and noticed the lackadaisical manner in which the sign is frequently made over here.  Today, after receiving my monthly copy of Christian Order, I went online to see if an article in it was available online.  It is not, but the editorial of the June-July issue was, and after reading the first paragraph of that issues editorial I have been spurred to stop procrastinating.

In Hoc Signo Vinces!

June - July 2013 Editorial in the Christian Order journal:

“In keeping with the contemporary crisis, our most common sacramental is abused by a poorly instructed laity with no idea of its history, meaning, purpose and power. If we view this scourge as merely a sad yet petty offence, then we have ceased to think like God, Who insisted that "he that is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in that which is greater" [Lk 16:10]. In which case, we should not be surprised when those who disrespect this divine and Catholic signature — by the perfunctory and often unrecognisable manner in which they perform it, if they bother at all — also fail to hold their tongues in God’s House; refuse to bend their knees before the Tabernacle; cannot comprehend the Mass as anything more than a get-together; and do not approach Holy Communion with the deepest reverence, gratitude and love.” 

The nun’s meditation follows below.

1.  It is a sign of our Baptismal birthright.  We were baptised in the Name of the Trinity.

 2. As a sign of the Divine Trinity, it should never be made carelessly or ironically.

3. The Sign of the Cross is the embodiment of our Christian Faith for it proclaims our belief in the Trinity.

4. It proclaims Christ’s divinity.

5. It is the sign of Christ’s salvific death on the Cross.

6. It is a holy rite of witness of our Faith to others, when we make the sign in public.

7.  When we make the sign, we are placing ourselves in the presence of God.

8. It should be a prayer of heart, and mind, and will, each of which should be engaged when we make the sign, so that we try never to make it automatically.

9. It invokes God’s blessing on us and the people for whom we are praying.

10. It is a prayer of protection, especially if we do not have time to say words of prayer, such as in an emergency.

11. It is a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

12. It is entering into Faith.

13. It is a prayer to enter into the Holiness of God.

14. It is a sign of dedication therefore also a prayer which sanctifies us when said with conscious devotion.

15. It is a prayer of Grace.

16. It is a physical Sacramental, as is Holy Water, and as are the wearing of the Miraculous Medal, the Brown Scapular or other Scapulars or other medals such as that of St. Benedict.

I have learned that many non-Catholic Christians and sects like the Jehovah’s Witnesses get the collywobbles when they see Catholics making this sign.  They call the image an idol!  They do not understand that it is not a mere image or sculpture or painting that is an idol but the person which the image depicts!  An image of Baal, or Jove or Diana the Huntress or Krishna or any one of the millions of false gods since the beginning of the world, those are man-made deities and therefore idols.   But Jesus is God; how can any image of him be an idol?  The same goes for images of Mary and Saints.  These people are holy, alive, and in Heaven, and they are the God’s very good friends.  How can an image depicting one of them be an idol?  For a start, what an insult to the mother of God Incarnate, Jesus Christ!

Muslims actually curse the Cross - aloud if in the presence of other Muslims, and with a muffled cough or false sneeze if they are in the presence of non-Muslims - when they see a Crucifix or Cross on a person near them or in the vicinity on a building.  Yet they do not recognise that they have made an idol of a mere man, their prophet Muhammed, since they consider it to be blasphemy to criticise him.

No Catholic is obliged to make use of Sacramentals but he is a foolish Catholic who deliberately holds them in contempt. Many people have been saved, or healed in mind or body or spirit, who wore theirs with respect and said the prayers attached to them with sincerity.

I know a lady whose daughter was saved from drowning when the boat she was on sank. She had agreed to wear the Miraculous Medal finally after her mother begged her several times before she went on the trip; it is only a cheap tin medal so not exactly "cool"!  The girl was the only Catholic on board and she was the only survivor.