Week Beginning April 28, 2024
Glory Be
The Glory Be prayer is a doxology, a short hymn of praise to God. The English word “doxology” derives from combining the Greek doxa which means glory and logia which means saying. This ancient prayer is often called the Lesser Doxology or the Minor Doxology, to distinguish it from Gloria in Excelsis Deo (also called Gloria or translated from Latin into English as “Glory to God in the Highest”) which is known as the Greater Doxology.
Doxologies direct our gaze outward and upward toward God so that we can sing His praises and bear witness to the full splendor and radiant beauty of the divine. The Glory Be is inserted after canticles, psalms, and hymns commonly prayed during sacred liturgy to honor the words of God; it is added after each decade of the rosary to honor the works of God. When included at the beginning or end of personal prayers, doxologies also help to reinforce our sacred beliefs, express gratitude for God’s blessings, and seek His protection and guidance.
This prayer opens with a declaration of glory to the God the Father–our Creator and the source of everything, God the Son–our Savior who becomes man to redeem humanity through his death and resurrection, and God the Holy Spirit–our Sanctifier who remains with the faithful to inspire and guide us. Saint Teresa of Ávila distinguishes that the diversity of the Holy Trinity does not detract from the unity as our single God: “The three Persons are distinct from one another; a sublime knowledge is infused into the soul, imbuing it with a certainty of the truth that the Three are of one substance, power, and knowledge and are one God.” Saint Basil of Caesarea comments on this mystery: “There is one God and Father, one Only-Begotten Son, and one Holy Spirit. We declare each Person to be unique, and if we must use numbers, we will not let a stupid arithmetic lead us astray to the idea of many gods.”
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Scripture and Tradition never cease to teach and celebrate this fundamental truth: ‘The world was made for the glory of God’ (Dei Filius). Saint Bonaventure explains that God created all things ‘not to increase his glory, but to show it forth and to communicate it,’ for God has no other reason for creating than his love and goodness: ‘Creatures came into existence when the key of love opened his hand’ (Saint Thomas Aquinas)” (CCC 293). Theologian Dr. Peter Kreeft observes: “If God is not a Trinity, God is not love. For love requires three things: a lover, a beloved, and a relationship between them.” Praying the Glory Be reverences the infinite and eternal love shared within the Holy Trinity.
Saint Paul teaches us that God in all His majesty also dwells within the faithful: “it is Christ in you, the hope for glory” (Colossians 1:27). It is a humbling and promising reminder to live our lives in communion with God, appreciating the influence of each Person, in order to experience that glory and partake in that enduring love. Saint John Bosco urges us to consider “All for God and for His glory. In whatever you do, think of the glory of God as your main goal.”
The next portion of the prayer expresses the unchanging nature and eternal existence of God and the glory due to Him: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty’” (Revelation 1:8). God is always true, always great, and always worthy of our worship…in all ways. Even in the midst of his suffering, Jesus prays similarly: “Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began” (John 17:5).
The traditionally used translation of this prayer contains the phrase “world without end,” meant to stress the belief that the Kingdom of God–not the physical world–endures forever. The original Latin phrase saecula saeculorum literally translates to “age of age,” “time of time,” or “forever and ever.” To convey this concept more accurately, the Church now adopts the International Consultation on English Texts (ICET) translation of the prayer as follows: “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.”
Note that we add the word “amen” which means “so be it” (CCC 2856) to the close of our prayers as a seal of affirmation and as an expression of faith that God will hear and act on our petitions.
As you pray the Glory Be this week, bask in the wonder of one trinitarian God who enables us to live in unity and love with each of the three separate Persons. Recognize that our lives are just a small part of God’s plan for the universe, and maintain that perspective during periods of uncertainty. Saint Gerard Majella encourages us to “Consider the shortness of time, the length of eternity and reflect how everything here below comes to an end and passes by. Of what use is it to lean upon that which cannot give support?” Trust instead in the unfathomable goodness of God. Although He remains the same, we can change to better orient our lives toward Him. This week, contemplate how you can become a living hymn of praise to God.
Week Beginning April 21, 2024
Hail Mary
Saint Louis de Montfort describes the Hail Mary as “a pure kiss of love we give to Mary” when we laud her through the reverent greetings of the Angel Gabriel and Saint Elizabeth. He also remarks that the response of her fervent intercession is like “dew falling from heaven to make the soul fruitful.” He binds the two movements of this prayer together: “The salvation of the whole world began with the ‘Hail Mary.’ Hence, the salvation of each person is also attached to this prayer.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that “Because of Mary’s singular cooperation with the action of the Holy Spirit, the Church loves to pray in communion with the Virgin Mary, to magnify with her the great things the Lord has done for her, and to entrust supplications and praises to her” (CCC 2682). Pope Saint John Paul II observes that “although the repeated Hail Mary is addressed directly to Mary, it is to Jesus that the act of love is ultimately directed, with her and through her.”
Saint Augustine explains that “The world being unworthy to receive the son of God directly from the hands of the Father, He gave his son to Mary for the world to receive him from her.” Through her “yes” to God, Our Lady brings Jesus to us. Saint Louis de Montfort notes, “The Son of God became man for our salvation but only in Mary and through Mary.” The Blessed Virgin, the one person who remains intimately tied to Jesus for his entire earthly life and beyond, always leads us back to her son. Saint Thomas Aquinas elaborates that “As mariners are guided into port by the shining of a star, so Christians are guided to heaven by Mary.” Pope Saint Paul VI states: “She who once gave us Jesus, the fount of heavenly grace, cannot fail to offer her maternal help to the Church.” As the saint closest to this source of grace, Our Lady provides the faithful with an intensely powerful intercessory aid.
As referenced above, the praise that “magnifies God for His great deeds toward Mary” and the supplication that “entrusts our petitions to Mary” (CCC 2675) originate from three sources: the words of Gabriel the Archangel at the Annunciation (Luke 1:28), the words of Mary’s cousin Elizabeth at the Visitation (Luke 1:42), and supplemental words added by the Church. Pope Saint John Paul II views the scriptural portion of the prayer as “a contemplation in adoration of the mystery accomplished in the Virgin of Nazareth. These words express, so to speak, the wonder of heaven and earth; they could be said to give us a glimpse of God’s own wonderment as he contemplates his ‘masterpiece’–the Incarnation of the Son in the womb of the Virgin Mary.”
The Gospel According to Luke recounts that Mary ponders the unusual salutation the angel uses to address her: “Hail, full of grace” (Luke 1:28-29). Why would an angel of the Lord–a creature vastly superior to humans as an incorruptible and heavenly spiritual being filled with divine light–use a term of such awesome respect toward a humble young woman? Saint Thomas Aquinas posits that this greeting indicates Mary exceeds even the angels in her fullness of grace. After all, the angel does not call her Mary, which is subsequently included by the Church. He instead names her “full of grace.”
We know that God always provides sufficient grace to those He calls to accomplish His missions. The Church recognizes that Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception, her plentitude of grace, her perfection of all virtues, and her complete avoidance of sin are all essential to fulfilling her preeminent mission as Mother of God. Theologian Hugh of Saint Victor says: “Because the love of the Holy Spirit burned so ardently in her heart, she was able to do wonders in the flesh, so that from it might be born God and man.” Her superabundance of grace exceeds what is necessary to save her soul. It overflows to sanctify her body–the new Arc of the Covenant, the new Temple of the Lord–which is later assumed into heaven. And it continues to overflow onto all human beings for the salvation of mankind.
When the angel utters the phrase “the Lord is with thee,” he offers praise to Mary and delivers her a blessing to carry out the Lord’s work. More than that, however, he is testifying to her sacred encounter with the Holy Trinity as the Beloved Daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son, and Spouse of the Spirit.
It is precisely this unique relationship with God that makes her blessed among women. Pope Saint Paul VI says, “In this mortal life she embodied the perfect form of a disciple of Christ, she was the mirror of all virtues, and in her manner of life exemplified fully those beatitudes proclaimed by Christ Jesus.” Our Lady of perfect faith becomes the first person to encounter God Incarnate, the one person who brings Him into this world through her own flesh, and the first person to dwell with Him free from the stain of sin in the fullness of grace. “Mary is ‘blessed among women’ because she believed in the fulfillment of the Lord’s word” (CCC 2676).
The fruit of her womb is also blessed, because in the womb of Mary, the Word becomes Flesh. Saint Augustine comments: “Him whom the heavens cannot contain, the womb of one woman bore.” Saint Irenaeus suggests that Our Blessed Mother is a second Eve: “Just as the former–that is, Eve–was seduced by the words of an angel so that she turned away from God by disobeying his word, so the latter–Mary–received the good news from an angel’s announcement in such a way as to give birth to God by obeying his word.” Saint Thomas Aquinas explores why Mary’s fruit is blessed compared to Eve’s fruit. While Jesus desires that we become like him, Eve’s fruit does not make her like God; while we find sweetness and salvation in Jesus, Eve’s fruit does not bring her lasting pleasure; while the beatific vision is the most spectacular thing to behold, the beauty of Eve’s fruit is easily surpassed; while Mary’s fruit is the fruit of life, Eve’s fruit is the fruit of death. “Blessed is the fruit of thy womb,” because it is our most blessed Lord, Jesus Christ, the only living fruit that can satisfy all of our needs forever.
After this insightful statement from Saint Elizabeth, the Church adds the name Jesus, “the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). The power of this name supports the Hail Mary as a Christocentric prayer. Pope Saint John Paul II points out that “The center of gravity in the Hail Mary, the hinge as it were which joins its two parts, is the name of Jesus.”
The remainder of this prayer is written by the Church so that we may petition the Blessed Virgin to help us accept Jesus into our hearts as she does and to help us know him more fully through her. We refer to Holy Mary as Mother of God, professing the dogma of Mary’s Divine Motherhood. Because she is the earthly mother of the Second Person in the Holy Trinity, who is fully God and fully man, she is truly Theotókos (Greek for “she who gives birth to God”). The Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen reflects: “Every mother, when she picks up the young life that has been born to her, looks up to the heavens to thank God for the gift which made the world young again. But here was a mother, a Madonna, who did not look up. She looked down to heaven, for this was heaven in her arms.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that “By asking Mary to pray for us, we acknowledge ourselves to be poor sinners and we address ourselves to the ‘Mother of Mercy,’ the All-Holy One (CCC 2677). Her prayers are especially efficacious, because her proximity to God makes her a great mediator and conduit of grace. Pope Venerable Pius XII shares that “To desire grace without recourse to the Virgin Mother is to desire to fly without wings.” Saint Jeanne Jugan declares, “The Hail Mary will take us to heaven.”
The Catechism continues: “We give ourselves over to her now, in the today of our lives. And our trust broadens further, already at the present moment, to surrender ‘the hour of our death’ wholly to her care. May she be there as she was at her son’s death on the cross. May she welcome us as our mother at the hour of our passing [Cf. Jn 19:27] to lead us to her son, Jesus, in paradise” (CCC 2677). We pray for Our Blessed Mother to help us at the two most important times of our lives: “now and at the hour of our death.” When those two points converge into one singular moment, we can ask for no better advocate than God’s mother and ours.
As you focus on the words of this beloved prayer this week, ask Our Lady for the strength and courage to say without hesitation an unwavering “yes” to God as she does. Let her teach us to love as a mother loves. Let her lead us to heaven by leading us to her son. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Week Beginning April 14, 2024
Lord’s Prayer
If you ever feel unsure how to pray, you are in good company. According to Saint Luke, even the first disciples of Jesus ask him how they should pray (Luke 11:1-4). Saint Matthew recalls that Jesus encourages his followers to pray quietly in private and to avoid unnecessary babble (Matthew 6:5-8). From the Gospel According to Saint Matthew, we are then handed what is now affectionately called the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), because it is revealed to us directly from the mouth of Jesus.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that this prayer is dually “of the Lord.” Jesus is the master of our prayer by using the words the divine Father gives him; he is the model of our prayer by understanding our needs in his human heart as the Word incarnate (CCC 2765). Saint John Chrysostom asks: “What prayer could be more true before God the Father than that which the Son, who is truth, uttered with his own lips.”
“The Lord’s Prayer is truly the summary of the whole Gospel,” notes early Christian author Tertullian. He continues: “Since everyone has petitions peculiar to his circumstances, the Lord’s Prayer is said first [before other petitions] as the foundation of further desires.” Saint Thomas Aquinas remarks that “Now in the Lord’s Prayer, not only do we ask for all that we may rightly desire, but also in the order wherein we ought to desire them, so that this prayer not only teaches us to ask, but also directs all our affections. Thus, it is evident that the first thing to be the object of our desire is the end, and afterwards whatever is directed to the end.” Saint Augustine comments, “Run through all the words of the holy prayers [in Scripture], and I do not think that you will find anything in them that is not contained and included in the Lord’s Prayer.”
For that reason, Saint Edmund the Martyr declares, “It is better to say one Our Father fervently and devoutly than a thousand with no devotion and full of distraction.” Saint Teresa of Ávila adds that “Much more is accomplished by a single word of the Our Father said, now and then, from our heart, than by the whole prayer repeated many times in haste and without attention.” Pope Saint Benedict XVI states, “The meaning of the Our Father goes much further than the mere provision of a prayer text. It aims to form our being, to train us in the inner attitude of Jesus.”
To that end, let’s examine the rich significance behind the words and phrases that comprise the prayer that Christ the Lord teaches us. We begin by daring to address, “Our Father who art in heaven.” Although it is not unusual to pray to God in heaven, actually speaking His name with the bold filial proclamation of the title “Father” elevates our prayer into a deeply personal conversation with the divine, imbued with the unconditional love we share with our parents. We now experience with God the intimacy and tenderness we reserve for our closest relations. Saint André Bessette reports that “When you say to God, ‘Our Father,’ He has His ear right next to your lips.”
We are all innately children of God, our Creator. Beyond that natural relationship, however, we are invited to enter into the New Covenant which is sealed with the blood of Jesus and paid for with his sacrifice. Through the unmerited gift of God’s grace bestowed upon us at baptism, we become the adopted children of God, washed clean of our sins, reborn of the Spirit, united to Jesus as his brethren, and animated to serve the Lord. Saint Paul informs us that “As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’” (Galatians 4:6). We now know how to love and follow God, because it is written in our hearts.
Saint John Chrysostom observes that we not only share this union with God but also with each other: “For he did not say ‘my Father’ who art in heaven, but ‘our’ Father, offering petitions for the common body.” Fraternal cohesiveness as brothers and sisters in Christ replaces our individualism, and we are called to worship together and pray for the whole Body of Christ. As one divine family and community of faith, we are commanded to love both God and neighbor and to cast aside any selfish tendencies and all division.
Acknowledging that God is in heaven affirms His glorious state of being and differentiates Him from our earthly fathers. The Catechism of the Council of Trent clarifies: “God, then, in order to lift up the minds of men to contemplate His infinite power and majesty, which are so preeminently visible in the work of the heavens, declares in Sacred Scripture that heaven is His dwelling-place. Yet at the same time He often affirms, what indeed is most true, that there is no part of the universe to which He is not present intimately by His nature and His power.” Spending time with God in prayer connects us to this hidden Kingdom, because being in heaven after all means being with God.
The remainder of this prayer features seven petitions that contain every expression of faith and human longing. The first three petitions glorify God and draw us adoringly toward Him for the sake of His name, His Kingdom, and His will. We pray for the ability in this world to abide by the magnificent example of the angels and saints in heaven when we say “on earth as it is in heaven.” Through this statement, we also hope to experience and contribute to this perfection in the fullest extent possible during our temporal lives. The final four petitions declare our dependence on God by addressing our human needs and concerns. Saint Cyprian of Carthage assures that “To those who seek God’s kingdom and righteousness, He promises that all things shall be added.” We humbly offer ourselves in thanksgiving to Him for the gift of life and for His gracious bounty.
When we pray our first petition, “hallowed be Thy name,” we recognize that God is holy, and we exalt His name with the praise, honor, and glory due from our principal duty as Christians. We look forward to increased sanctification of His name on earth through devout reverence of the faithful, conversion of unbelievers and sinners, and acceptance of His Church by all. This petition is prayed with the disposition of awesome respect, humility, and gratitude.
Our second petition, “Thy Kingdom come,” references the already and the not yet. Christ already comes to us for our salvation, and we participate in the Kingdom now through his Church. We pray to shine Christ’s light on this earth and to spread his spiritual Kingdom to all people through all ages. We pray that the spiritual Kingdom is a transformative force to foster heavenly peace on earth. The Kingdom also dwells within God’s people. We pray for the grace to grow the mystical Kingdom in our souls, to heal us from within, and to welcome God to reign on the throne of our hearts. Finally, we pray for the second coming of Christ, the new order of the eternal Kingdom of God, and the life everlasting promised to us when this is fulfilled. Making this petition in earnest involves committing to the personal efforts required to build up the Kingdom of God, including prayer, charity, justice, deeds, care for creation, stewardship, evangelization, virtuous living, and repentance from sin.
Living the will of the Father by following the perfect example of the Son embodies our third petition, “Thy will be done.” Saint Paul discloses that God “wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Therefore, the will of God mirrors the supreme good and contains everything necessary to achieve human flourishing, happiness, and salvation. We pray these words to obtain the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit that enable us to discern the divine plan for our lives, to accomplish everything that is commanded of us, and to toil with cheerful obedience. We pray these words to banish doubt and hesitation as we bear our crosses, to recognize and resist our tendencies toward sin, and to avoid everything that is forbidden by God. We pray these words to thank God for His blessings and afflictions, trusting that both are gifts that prompt us to turn to Jesus for the ultimate good. We pray these words with the hope that others also conform to the will of God now and forever.
“Give us this day our daily bread,” our fourth petition, requests the physical and spiritual sustenance essential to support our on-going needs. We pray with the understanding that we must labor for our wants, and that our work is in vain without God. Our bodies and souls can only thrive with constant nourishment from God. We ask Him to reward our work with the “bread” or necessities for our continued survival. Because we are called to be active in the causes of our neighbors, these words also petition God’s help to feed the hungry throughout the world, ending the ills of both bodily starvation and spiritual famine.
Our eternal souls hunger for the Word of God: “it is not by bread alone that people live, but by all that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Saint Peter Chrysologus emphasizes our yearning for the Bread of Life: “The Father in heaven urges us, as children of heaven, to ask for the bread of heaven. [Christ] himself is the bread who, sown in the Virgin, raised up in the flesh, kneaded in the Passion, baked in the oven of the tomb, reserved in churches, brought to altars, furnishes the faithful each day with food from heaven.” Jesus cautions, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (John 6:53). The Catechism of the Council of Trent elaborates on why the term “daily” is important: “The Eucharist is called daily [bread] for two reasons. The first is that it is daily offered to God in the sacred mysteries of the Christian Church and is given to those who seek it piously and holily. The second is that it should be received daily, or, at least, that we should so live as to be worthy, as far as possible, to receive it daily.”
Our fifth petition is an ask with a task: “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We begin by confessing our wretchedness and our weaknesses with the hope of a fresh start. We beg to reconcile our transgressions and restore our relationship with God. However, we are only able to receive mercy to the extent that we open our hearts to receive it. If our hearts are filled with grudges and resentment, the love and compassion fundamental for forgiveness is unable to flow freely. Fortunately, God’s mercy is greater than our sins, it has no bounds, and it endures forever. We receive the grace to forgive and the example of how to forgive when we are cleansed of our Original Sin. The Catechism of the Catholic Church observes that we must employ that gift totally, continually, and unconditionally in order to benefit from God’s unfathomable mercy: “Our petition looks to the future, but our response must come first” (CCC 2838). God bestows the tool of forgiveness upon us to cast out darkness in this world and to “conquer evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
Our sixth petition, “lead us not into temptation,” expresses our distrust in our own willpower and our utmost confidence in God. We pray that God does not abandon us to temptation or permit us to be overcome by temptation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church stresses the urgency for discernment: “The Holy Spirit makes us discern between trials, which are necessary for the growth of the inner man, and temptation, which leads to sin and death. We must also discern between being tempted and consenting to temptation. Finally, discernment unmasks the lie of temptation, whose object appears to be good, a ‘delight to the eyes’ and desirable, when in reality its fruit is death” (CCC 2847). We entrust ourselves to the protection of God to stay always vigilant, to desire eternal goods over temporal pleasures, and to avoid tempting situations. We ask for persistence through difficult trials and perseverance at the final judgement.
“Deliver us from evil” is our final petition. Evil itself is a privation–it is the loss of God and all that is good. Therefore, this request does not apply to the things that may be perceived as evil but are actually conducive to promoting our spiritual rewards. Rather, we seek protection from the internal and external threats that distance us from God or endanger our wellbeing, whether they seem to be evil or good. We pray that we are not condemned to suffer the punishments of the wicked, nor that we be sentenced to endure the fires of Purgatory. Our prayer extends in solidarity with the entire Body of Christ and additionally covers the holy souls who await liberation into the heavenly Kingdom.
We ascribe the devil as the author of the evil we experience from others. When we pray that God deliver us from the evil one, we are invoking an exorcism against the devil for ourselves and for our neighbors who are instigated to harm us. Saint Ambrose assures us that “The Lord who has taken away your sin and pardoned your faults also protects you and keeps you from the wiles of your adversary the devil, so that the enemy, who is accustomed to leading into sin, may not surprise you. One who entrusts himself to God does not dread the devil.”
Saint Cyprian of Carthage summarizes that “the Lord’s Prayer contains many great mysteries of our faith. In these few words there is great spiritual strength, for this summary of divine teaching contains all of our prayers and petitions.” Saint Teresa of Calcutta suggests that “Prayer must come from the heart and must be able to touch the heart of God. See how Jesus taught his disciples to pray: call God your Father; praise and glorify His name; do His will as the saints do it in heaven; ask for daily bread, spiritual and temporal; ask for forgiveness of your own sins and for the grace to forgive others; ask for the grace to resist temptations and for the final grace to be delivered from the evil which is in you and around you.”
As you recite the words of the Lord’s Prayer this week, reflect upon the implications of the promises and petitions that comprise the text. Use it as a guide to order your supplications. Are you cooperating with the grace of God, allowing it to move you along the path that leads to heaven?
Week Beginning April 7, 2024
Sign of the Cross
Tracing the sign of the cross is a devotional act that displays our Christian faith. When we make the sign of the cross, we use our bodies to profess what we hold in our souls. Through that simple gesture, we physically announce the victory that Jesus won for us over sin and death.
At the conclusion of our Easter Octave and on this Sunday of Divine Mercy, we recall God’s unfathomable charity for mankind and how that is demonstrated most profoundly by the sacrifice on the cross. Making proper satisfaction and regenerating our sinful souls are required to restore our relationship with God after the fall of Adam and Eve. Because this is beyond the power of mere human beings, God manifests His mercy by sending His divine Son into the world to share our human nature. As one of us, Jesus lives a sacred life of total love and obedience, freely accepts the punishment for all sinners, atones through his Passion with the infinite value of his divine nature, and merits for us a superabundance of graces for our redemption. Saint Thomas Aquinas observes that “God acts mercifully, not indeed by going against His justice, but by doing something more than justice.” What are we worth to God? Look to the cross, and behold that He generously pays for our sins with the precious life and death of His only Son. Saint Paul of the Cross declares: “The Passion of Christ is the greatest and most stupendous work of Divine Love. The greatest and most overwhelming work of God’s love.”
Saint Augustine reflects on this ultimate gift of the cross: “As they were looking on, so we too gaze on his wounds as he hangs. We see his blood as he dies. We see the price offered by the redeemer, touch the scars of his resurrection. He bows his head, as if to kiss you. His heart is made bare open, as it were, in love to you. His arms are extended that he may embrace you. His whole body is displayed for your redemption. Ponder how great these things are. Let all this be rightly weighed in your mind: as he was once fixed to the cross in every part of his body for you, so he may now be fixed in every part of your soul.” What is our purpose? Look to the cross, and behold our reason for being–to know and to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength (Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27).
Saint Theodore the Studite remarks: “How precious the gift of the cross, how splendid to contemplate! In the cross there is no mingling of good and evil, as in the tree of paradise: it is wholly beautiful to behold and good to taste. The fruit of this tree is not death but life, not darkness but light. This tree does not cast us out of paradise, but opens the way for our return.” Why are we created? Look to the cross, and behold that we are made for something greater than this world–to serve God in this life so that we can live with Him in the next life for all of eternity. Saint Rose of Lima cautions that “Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to Heaven.”
Pope Saint Leo the Great notes: “No one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the cross. No one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ. His prayer brought benefit to the multitude that raged against him. How much more does it bring to those who turn to him in repentance.” The silent prayer of the sign of the cross affirms our faith and wards off evil. How do we overcome our sinful tendencies? Look to the cross, and behold the terror of demons. Saint Antony Abbot advises, “The devils tremble at the Sign of the Cross of our Lord, by which He triumphed over and disarmed them.” Saint Gregory of Tours recommends: “Whatever may be the temptations that oppress us, we must repulse them. For this end we should make, not carelessly, but carefully, the sign of the cross, either on our forehead or on our breast.”
Saint Francis de Sales teaches us that we are not alone in our struggles: “The everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity the cross He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart. The cross He now sends you He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms, and weighed with His own hands to see that it is not one inch too large nor one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His holy name, anointed it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God.” How do we endure our hardships? Look to the cross, and behold that God gives us sufficient grace to strengthen us through every trial. Pope Francis says, “There is no cross, big or small, in our life which the Lord does not share with us.”
Saint Maximus of Turin suggests: “It is from the sign of the cross we must expect the cure of all our wounds. If the venom of avarice be diffused through our veins, let us make the sign of the cross, and the venom will be expelled. If the scorpion of voluptuousness sting us, let us have recourse to the same means, and we shall be healed. If grossly terrestrial thoughts seek to defile us, let us again have recourse to the sign of the cross, and we shall live the divine life.” How do we heal our spiritual ills? Look to the cross, and behold the comfort of the afflicted offered by our Divine Physician, Jesus Christ.
Look to the cross, and behold this sacred sign that bears public witness to the power of God. Early Christian author and apologist Tertullian claims that “We Christians wear out our foreheads with the sign of the cross.” Saint Cyril of Jerusalem urges us to “not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat, and the cup we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are on the way and when we are still.” Saint Gaudentius also encourages us to “Let the sign of the cross be continually made on the heart, on the mouth, on the forehead, at table, at the bath, in bed, coming in and going out, in joy and sadness, sitting, standing, speaking, walking—in short, in all our actions. Let us make it on our breasts and all our members, that we may be entirely covered with this invincible armor of Christians.”
Look to the cross, and behold this sacred sign that contains the mystery of our faith. The Church employs the sign of the cross in executing all holy things including administration of the sacraments, celebration of the Mass, initiation and conclusion of prayers, bestowing all blessings, preparing items for worship, and making devotions. The cross is prominently displayed in art, adornments, buildings, literature, and more. Saint John Vianney comments that virtually “Everything is a reminder of the Cross. We ourselves are made in the shape of a cross.”
Jesus instructs the Apostles to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). The Book of Revelation discloses that God’s name is on the foreheads of His servants (Revelation 22:4). According to Saint Basil the Great, the Apostles “taught us to mark with the sign of the cross those who put their hope in the Lord.” Saint John of Damascus elaborates: “The holy cross was given to us as a sign on our forehead, just as circumcision was given to Israel: for by it we believers are separated and distinguished from unbelievers.” Look to the cross, and behold that we are marked for and united together with the Triune God through our baptismal seal.
When make the sign of the cross and simultaneously invoke the Holy Trinity by reciting “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” we are actually saying two prayers at once. This potent combination professes a mini-creed of our core beliefs, recollecting the crucifixion with our actions and the Trinitarian doctrine with our words. Placing our prayers in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ensures that our petitions are heard. The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults states: “We praise the Father who first called us to be his people by sending us his Son as our Redeemer and giving us the Holy Spirit so that we can continue to gather, to remember what God has done for us, and to share in the blessings of salvation” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).
From birth to death, we use this sacramental to elevate everything that follows it into a prayer, to reinforce the tenets of Christianity, to protect us from evil, and to draw closer to the source and summit of our faith. The small and the large gestures are the two most common forms of the sign used in this country. Saint Francis de Sales points out that we sign with our right hand to make the cross, because it is “the more worthy of the two.”
The small sign of the cross traces the thumb in the shape of a “t.” It is typically made upon the forehead to place God in our thoughts and grow our knowledge of Him, upon the lips to sanctify our speech as we proclaim the Gospel message, and upon the breast to invite God into our hearts and increase our love for Him. It is frequently used at Mass, during sacraments, and on Ash Wednesday.
Make the large sign with the palm facing toward you. Hold your right hand open with all five digits–representing the five wounds of Christ–together and slightly curved with the thumb softly tucking toward the palm. Note that previously-used hand positions include holding the thumb, index finger, and middle finger together–signifying the three persons in one God–and tucking the ring and pinky fingers–signifying the two natures of Christ–toward the palm. Prior to that, simply using two fingers would emphasize the dual divine and human natures of Christ.
Touch the forehead as you pray “In the name of the Father,” mentally acknowledging that the Father is the uncreated Creator from Whom all things originate. We touch the head so that we may know God. Touch the breastbone as you pray “and of the Son,” recognizing Jesus Christ as the Only Begotten Son of the Father and the Word made flesh. We touch the chest so that God may dwell in our hearts. Touch the left shoulder followed by the right shoulder as you pray “and of the Holy Spirit,” consenting that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son out of their bond of love. We touch the shoulders so that we may “shoulder” our crosses with the sweet yoke of the Lord. The large gesture is meant to cross our whole being so that our entire body and soul are blessed.
Fifteenth-century texts indicate that the hand dropping from head to chest signifies Christ descending from heaven to earth during his incarnation. The movement from the left shoulder to right shoulder demonstrates Christ descending into hell at his death and then ascending into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.
The sign of the cross makes an excellent accompaniment to other prayers, such as: O God come to my assistance, Our help is in the name of the Lord, and May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. Regardless of how you pray the sign of the cross, be sure to do so with reverence. “When you sign yourself, think of all the mysteries contained in the cross. It is not enough to form it with the finger. You must first make it with faith and good will,” counsels Saint John Chrysostom. “When, therefore, you sign yourself, think of the purpose of the cross, and quench any anger and all other passions. Consider the price that has been paid for you.”
Saint John Damascene asserts: “By nothing else except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ has death been brought low: the sin of our first parent destroyed, hell plundered, resurrection bestowed, the power given us to despise the things of this world, even death itself, the road back to the former blessedness made smooth, the gates of paradise opened, our nature seated at the right hand of God and we made children and heirs of God. By the cross all these things have been set aright… It is a seal that the destroyer may not strike us, a raising up of those who lie fallen, a support for those who stand, a staff for the infirm, a crook for the shepherded, a guide for the wandering, a perfecting of the advanced, salvation for soul and body, a deflector of all evils, a cause of all goods, a destruction of sin, a plant of resurrection, and a tree of eternal life.” Look to the cross, and behold the true sign that God has given to us.
This week, embrace the awesome benefits of this basic prayer. Pope Francis informs us that “The Way of the Cross alone defeats sin, evil and death, for it leads to the radiant light of Christ’s resurrection and opens the horizons of a new and fuller life. It is the way of hope, the way of the future. Those who take up this way with generosity and faith give hope and a future to humanity.” Look to the cross, and behold the bright sign from heaven that illuminates the path of transformation for you and for the whole world.
