18/10/2024
LITTLE DO WE KNOW, THE SIGN OF THE CROSS IS A CATECHESIS AND THE SHORTEST, MOST POWERFUL PRAYER
The sign of the Cross as a sign is rich of the theological treatise of the Catholic faith it carries within all at once the Triune God in His: divine attributes; processions and spirations of the Holy Spirit; The Hypostatic Union of the Two Natures of Christ; the 3 Divine Persons of the Trinity; Oneness of God’s Divine Nature, and the Nature, Persons in God; and Dexterity and Righteousness of God are all align in the markings and symbolisms. Very truly, it is the shortest yet the most powerful prayer we can seal our body and soul. It has the following tenets of Christian Orthodoxy:
✅ The Right Hand: the use of the Right Hand I making the sign of the cross; what does it symbolize? Right hand or sitting on the right or giving a blessing in the old testament is a sign of grace and power of God is at work it bestowed even by Abraham to Isaac; Isaac to Jacob through in his old age he was tricked but still God’s blessing has been bestowed. In the same manner, we use our right hand to bless and seal our own body with the dexterity and righteousness of the Trinitarian God we process and believe.
✅ The 5 Fingers of Right Hand: Even if 2 are folded these fingers inherently concealed the mystery of God’s divine attributes:
1. He is Omnipotent Almighty or All-powerful God. Created out nothing to existence and continue to subsist through his power;
2. He is Omniscient or All-knowing; he knows all creation and call them by name, he knows the hair of your head are numbered
3. He is Omnipresent or present everywhere all the time; it will light in the sunlight and sail beyond the sea still we will find God there.
4. He is All-Holy; Righteous and Just.
5. He is Simplicity purely expressed in Love
✅ The 3 Fingers Outstretched: These 3 held upward to symbolize the Three Divine Persons of the blessed Trinity as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. “... baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Mat.28:24)
✅ The 2 Fingers Folded: These 2 fingers in the periphery represent the spiration and procession of the Holy Spirt: “He proceeds from e father and the Son and with the father and the Son, He is worshiped and glorified.” (Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed) and also It represents the Hypostasis of the Hypostatic Union of the 2 Natures of Christ: Human and Divine.
✅ The Palm: The palm or the hand represents the Divine Nature of God as the One Divine Being supreme and infinitely perfect creatures of heaven and earth and all that exists.
✅ Tapping the Head with the words: “In the name of the Father...” is symbolic of God the Father as the head of our life and divine Person to lead us to live good and holy Christian lives.
✅ Tapping the Bossom or Navel with words: “... and of the Son...” is symbolic of God the Son Jesus Christ, who is like us in all things but sin (EP IV) who by the power of Holy Spirit was born of the Virgin Mary and became Man (Apostle’s Creed). The navel is a sign that we have been from and fashioned on a womb. The only 2 people who don't have this is Adam and Eve.
✅ Tapping both Shoulders and with the words: “...and of the Holy Spirit., Amen” is symbolic of Holy Spirit as the Advocate Paraclete who will guide to the whole Truth.
✅ Forming a Cross: commemorates Jesus’ paschal mystery (passion, death, and resurrection) upon which he has redeemed the world.
In a nutshell, the Holy Sign of the Cross is by its Trinitarian character a powerful prayer and profession of faith that by this sign sealed in our body, we adore Christ is his passion death and resurrection and glorified the triune God.
MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH,
Pray for us...
