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THE SIGN OF THE CROSS

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS: NINETEENTH CENTURY By Mgr. Jean-Joseph Gaume, Prothonotary Apostolic
IN HOC VINCE

By this sign thou shalt conquer. H (Euseb. Vlt. Const, 1, 22.)

THIRD LETTER... Continuation of the Third Prepossession: the doctors of the east and the west. Constantine, Theodorus, Charlemagne, St. Louis, Bayard, Don John of Austria, Sobieski, Fourth Preppossession: the conduct of the Church. Fifth, those who do not make the Sign of the Cross.

Now, then, my dear friend, all those great geniuses, without any exception, made the Sign of the Cross like little children.

They made it frequently, and unceasingly recommended Christians to make use of it on every occasion. To make the Sign of the Cross, says one of them, over those who place their hope in Jesus Christ, is the first and best known thing amongst us, primum est et notissimum.. Another: The Cross is found everywhere; with princes and their subjects, with men and women, with slaves and freemen; and all mark it on the most noble part of the body, the forehead . . . Never cross the threshold of your houses without saying, I renounce Satan, and devote myself to Jesus Christ; accompanying these words with the Sign of the Cross: cum hoc verbo et crucem in fronte imprimas.

Even to their last sigh, confirming their words by their example, we see those great geniuses die, like the illustrious Chrysostom, the king of eloquence, in making the Sign of the Cross. Formed in their school, the noblest Christians follow in their footsteps.

Speaking of St. Paula, the grand-daughter of the Scipios, Saint Jerome says: When she was at the point of death, and we could with difficulty hear her speak, she placed her thumb on her mouth, and, faithful to usage, imprinted the Sign of the Cross upon her lips.

By what do the chiefs of prayer, the bishops and priests, begin to celebrate the praises of the Most High? By the Sign of the Cross. Writes an ancient liturgist:

When at the beginning of the Office we make the Sign of the Cross, saying the words, O God, come to my aid, it is as if we would say thy Cross, O Lord, is our help; the hand makes to thee the Sign of it, and the tongue prays to thee in it. The demon is the chief of the enemies of our salvation; he governs the world, he flatters the flesh in order to allure us. If then, O Lord, thou wilt aid us by they Cross, he and all our enemies shall be put to flight.

And the Catholic Church, the grave teacher of nations, the great mistress of truth, does she amuse herself by repeating so frequently, in her most solemn act, a sign, useless, superstitious, or of minor importance? If your companions believe this, they are wrong to call themselves unbelievers: it is not credulity that is wanting to them.

The conduct of the Church and of true Christians in every age, is, the, a victorious prepossession in favor of our primitive ancestors.
Those who do not make the Sign of the Cross:

There are on earth six classes of beings that do not make the Sign of the Cross.

First: pagans: the Chinese, Hindoos, Tibetans, Hottentots, and the savages of Oceanica, adorers of monstrous idols, nations most deeply degraded, yet not the less happy they do not make the Sign of the Cross.

Second: the Mahometans: swine by sensuality, tigers by cruelty, automata by fatalism, they do not make the Sign of the Cross.

Third: the Jews: deeply encrusted with a thick layer of superstition, the living petrifaction of a fallen race - they do not make the Sign of the Cross.

Fourth: Heretics: impertinent sectaries, who have pretended to reform the work of God, who, in punishment of their pride, have lost even the last remnant of truth.

Fifth: bad Catholics, renegades to their baptism, slaves of human respect, haughty in their ignorance, who speak of everything, yet know nothing; adorers of the god of their belly, of the god of the flesh, of the god of matter; whose private life is like a sullied garment - they do not make the Sign of the Cross.

Sixth: beasts, bipeds and quadrupeds of all kinds: dogs, cats, asses, mules, camels, owls, crocodiles, oysters, hippopotamuses - they do not make the Sign of the Cross.

Such are the six classes of beings that do not make the Sign of the Cross.

If, before tribunals, the moral character of the plaintiffs or defendants contributes powerfully to form the opinions of the judges, even before the examination of the cause, I leave you to judge whether the character of the beings who do not make the Sign of the Cross is a small prepossession in favor of the early Christians.

In a word, with regard to the frequent use of the Sign of the Cross, the world is divided into two opposite parties.

For it: The admirable Christians of the primitive Church; the holiest and greatest geniuses of the East and the West; the true Christians of every age; the Church herself, the Mistress of truth.

Against it: Pagans, Mahometans, Jews, Heretics, bad Catholics, and beasts

It seems to me that you can already decide; moreover, your convictions shall be more strongly confirmed, when you learn the motives which justify the one, and condemn the other.

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PNeri
I see nothing in the article that would be considered "inconsiderate". The author wrote the truth..as for things that may have "changed" since then, that's a part of life; but the teaching of the Church does not change.
@wirewrapper.. while everyone is entitled to their own opinions, you did not say 'what' you thought was "inconsiderate" .. to make such a comment deserves an explanation, don't you …More
I see nothing in the article that would be considered "inconsiderate". The author wrote the truth..as for things that may have "changed" since then, that's a part of life; but the teaching of the Church does not change.

@wirewrapper.. while everyone is entitled to their own opinions, you did not say 'what' you thought was "inconsiderate" .. to make such a comment deserves an explanation, don't you think? In case you didn't read the page from the LINK of source, it may be a good idea ... good reading. 🤗
wirewrapper
Good article, but I do know that the savages of oceanan have been greatly converted and many many of them are Catholic. Guam is probably one of the most Catholic islands you'll ever go to if you have a chance, and of course let's not for get the Phillippeans...
There are also Chinese who make the sign of the cross and they are growing, and the Chinese by their cultural practices love traditional …More
Good article, but I do know that the savages of oceanan have been greatly converted and many many of them are Catholic. Guam is probably one of the most Catholic islands you'll ever go to if you have a chance, and of course let's not for get the Phillippeans...

There are also Chinese who make the sign of the cross and they are growing, and the Chinese by their cultural practices love traditional things.. Many do not and love to cling to the traditional pagan practices but there are a great deal of Christians in China who are moving away from these things. It is just such a great shame that the Church doesn't try as hard as the Protestants do to make believers out of them..
I like the article but some of the things said are inconsiderate...
rhemes1582
Excellent!
👍
Dahvid
👍
AlekZ
It's always good to be reminded of the importance of making the Sign of the Cross! 👍
thelastconvert
Perfect! Well done.
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