In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit

[Kansasdad]

This is a question for those who believe in the Trinity. If you don't believe in the Trinity please don't respond.

As part of our Catholic Faith we often start and end our prayers with the sign of the cross and pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Why is this a Catholic symbol? If you are from a different denomination does this give you pause to end a prayer this way. If so, why? I really am curious about this, I don't understand how this became a Catholic thing. It seem to me that this should be a Christian thing.

Please don't turn this into an anti-Catholic thread, we have all been down that road far too many times.

Thanks,

Kansas Dad

[georgesbluegirl]

Yeah...I used to go to teen nights at a non-denominational church and got more than a couple stares and strange looks when I crossed myself after "Amen." Seems natural after prayers, but I guess those who are anti-Catholic judge you for it. Some Christians' weirdness about it doesn't really make sense.

[Floatingaxe]

This is a question for those who believe in the Trinity. If you don't believe in the Trinity please don't respond.

As part of our Catholic Faith we often start and end our prayers with the sign of the cross and pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Why is this a Catholic symbol? If you are from a different denomination does this give you pause to end a prayer this way. If so, why? I really am curious about this, I don't understand how this became a Catholic thing. It seem to me that this should be a Christian thing.

Please don't turn this into an anti-Catholic thread, we have all been down that road far too many times.

Thanks,

Kansas Dad

What purpose does it serve other than fulfilling some sort of childish need for closure? Or superstition? Or ritual? Or disbelief...in that our prayer isn't good enough? I find it silly, truthfully. My son-in-law is Catholic and his family members do it. I just ignore it, and he is fine with it. He does it in my home, and I am not offended, but I do not join them in that behaviour.

[Floatingaxe]

This symbolizing is not needed to be heard by God and Christ. Every answer to these kinds of questions are best found in the scriptures themselves.

John 14:13-14 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

John 16:23-24 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

We are only required by scripture to go in prayer asking what we need in the name of Christ only. Anything else was added by man and not required.

I agree with you. To me, the practice smacks too much of Pharisaicism, where the Pharisees would pray aloud and give alms with much fanfare. It is an outward show, and garners nothing for the believer.

[Guest nicholus]

I'm not trinity but I do have a statement on this. Just make sure that when you do cross yourself you are doing it out of truly wanting to thank God. I will not insult the practice as long as it is never done for show or because you "have" to. As Long as you do it because you are trying to bring him glory then it would be the same thing as if I (being pentecostal) raised my hands to worship. I hope I said that clearly.

[Leonard]

Very well said indeed Nicolus! As a life-long Pentecostal who is now a Priest, I am with you 100%. I both raise my hands in worship, and make the sign of the cross. It says unashamedly: "I identify with Jesus Christ and His atoning death!"

It ought to be noted that the passage quoted from Ezekiel 9 by a previous poster, talked about 'marking' the righteous in Jerusalem. The word 'mark' was a particular Hebrew letter, which in the ancient Hebrew alphabet was a simple 'cross' like our lower-case 't'. So even in the Old Testament, the righteous were 'marked' with the sign of the cross!

[georgesbluegirl]

man, all this emotion over something so basic. it's a simple movement of prayer, like folding your hands. does that inspire similar reactions? it's a physical meditation.

[Kansasdad]

I'm not trinity but I do have a statement on this. Just make sure that when you do cross yourself you are doing it out of truly wanting to thank God. I will not insult the practice as long as it is never done for show or because you "have" to. As Long as you do it because you are trying to bring him glory then it would be the same thing as if I (being pentecostal) raised my hands to worship. I hope I said that clearly.

Yes I understand that perfectly. It is an outward sign of what is going on inside and I agree it can't be done just for show.

Thanks,

K.D.

[georgesbluegirl]

also, i do understand the above point.

[Kansasdad]

This is a question for those who believe in the Trinity. If you don't believe in the Trinity please don't respond.

As part of our Catholic Faith we often start and end our prayers with the sign of the cross and pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Why is this a Catholic symbol? If you are from a different denomination does this give you pause to end a prayer this way. If so, why? I really am curious about this, I don't understand how this became a Catholic thing. It seem to me that this should be a Christian thing.

Please don't turn this into an anti-Catholic thread, we have all been down that road far too many times.

Thanks,

Kansas Dad

Here is information I have found on the "sign of the cross":

Origins of the sign of the cross

The Christian custom of gesturing the sign of the cross was originally with the right hand's thumb only and across the forehead only. (St. John Chrys., Hom. ad pop. Antioch. xi; St. Jerome, Ep. ad Eustochium.) The custom originated during the second century.

Vestiges of this earliest gesture still exist when Catholics sign a cross on their forehead to hear the Gospels during mass, when their foreheads are marked with ash on Ash Wednesday, when applying the holy oil (called chrism) on the forehead for the sacrament of Confirmation, and so on. Around year 200 in Carthage (modern Tunisia, Africa), Tertullian says: "We Christians wear out our foreheads with the sign of the cross" (Latin: "Frontem crucis signaculo terimus") (De Cor. mil. 3). The second century Christians signed the cross on their forehead before taking any risk, such as embarking on a journey, and so on.

Ravenna mosaic, 6th c.: Jesus is portrayed gesturing a sign of the cross like a Christian priest with his right hand facing outward, at the position of et FiliiTertullian points out that the sign of the cross is not commanded in any Holy Scripture. It is only from Christian cultural tradition. A search for a scriptual prooftext for the sign of the cross has required loose interpretations. For examples: "Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark [of ash?] on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable [idolatries] that are done in it" (Ezekiel 9:4). "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal [with holy oil?] on the foreheads of the servants of our God." (Revelation 7:3). And so on. Of course, none of these biblical prooftexts prescribe a motion of a cross, but their location on the forehead probably informed the early Christian custom.

By the fourth century, the sign of the cross involved other parts of the body beyond the forehead. (St. Ambrose, De Isaac et anim