Monday 24 October 2016

The sign of the Cross

The foundation of our Christian faith is faith in ' Holy Trinity ' as 'one God'. We believe in God the Father; God the Son and God the Holy spirit as 'one God '. Lord Jesus commanded us to baptize people of all nations, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. To remind ourselves of this Eternal Truth, we begin all our activities and our prayers by invoking the Blessings of the ' Holy Trinity ' and sign ourselves with the ' sign of the cross '.



1. ' sign of the cross ' reminds us that we were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit as ' one God '.

2. ' sign of the cross ' reminds us that we believe in the existence of ' Holy Trinity ' as ' one God '.

3. ' sign of the cross ' reminds us that in acknowledging ' Holy Trinity ' as one God, we are blessed and we are saved.



Such is the reverence and Holiness of the ' sign of the cross '.



This reverence of the ' sign of the cross ' was demonstrated by " Immaculate Conception " when she appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes on February 11, 1858. The way our Lady made the ' sign of the cross ' was with profound reverence and recollection.



          St. Bernadette recounts that she was prevented from making the ' sign of the cross ' incorrectly, until she had seen our Lady make it. Only after seeing our Lady make the ' sign of the cross ' with reverence, then St. Bernadette was allowed to follow her. St. Bernadette describes our Lady make the ' sign of the cross ' slowly in a sweeping gesture, raising her right hand so that her fingers touched to the very top of her forehead; then lowering her hands to touch her waist , and then slowly touching the extreme of her left shoulder followed by her right.



         Over the years, people forgot the reverence of the ' sign of the cross '. And now, we make it inattentively, without reverence and with haste. we must not forget that ' sign of the cross ', which is the summit of Christian faith is itself a powerful prayer. And by making it slowly; attentively with profound reverence , we enter into salvation.



        The ' sign of the cross ' ( this little spiritual gesture ) is a path to Holiness. And God has shown us through the life of St. Teresa of child Jesus, that HE is pleased with " littleness " which is offered through reverence. Let us determine ourselves to make this little ' sign of the cross ' with reverence for God.



        For Holiness is not about doing great deeds- but doing little things, reverently for God.

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