Cross, that we truly belong to

Christ
Worship: to make the Sign of the
Cross with honor
and respect and teach the
same to others

Come and See...

Catechetical Office of the Archdiocese of

Tuguegarao (COAT)
Module-Group 1 Series
2______________________________2014

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS. We,

Catholics, sign ourselves with the Sign of the
Cross. This ancient practice and prayer has much
deep significance. Foremost significance is that
this sign which we received in Baptism tells us
that we belong to Christ, we live a life for Christ.
The sign, too, means a lot of other things.

Objectives
Doctrine: to know the significance of the
Sign of the Cross
Moral: to live the meaning of the Sign
of the
The facilitator can start a sharing of experiences with
the audience with the following questions.
What did your elders tell you about the Sign of
the Cross?
Who taught you how to make the Sign of the
Cross?
How do we make the Sign of the Cross? (Ask
some volunteers to make the Sign of the Cross.
Point to them what was done properly and what
needs to be corrected.)
Why do we make the Sign of the Cross?
When do we make the Sign of the Cross?
What were your experiences in making the Sign
of the Cross, especially when you were young?
It is interesting to note that the Cagayanos, as is seen
even today especially among the elderly, have many
practices when it comes to making the Sign of the
Cross. They make the Sign of the Cross before and
after doing almost everything. Before leaving the
house and upon return...before and after climbing the
stairs...before riding and alighting from the
tricycle...before sleeping and in waking up...before and
after eating...before climbing and coming down from a
tree...before and after crossing a river...even, before
and after a bath...and, among the students, before and
after class. The Cagayanos mark their doors or
doorposts, especially the patuno, with the Sign of the
Cross. These practices reflect the deep religiosity of
the Cagayanos.
Why do farmers mark their kalabaw or baka,
and even, kambing with their initials? Why
do mothers mark their babys clothes and
things with the babys initials? Why do
housewives mark their table covers,
beddings
and even, plates, with their family initials?
They do this to signify ownership, i.e., that
the animals or clothes or household items
belong to them.
NO ID, NO ENTRY. This notice hangs at the
gates of most schools, at the service
entrances of bodegas or stockrooms, as well
as before entering offices.
In business, it is the usual protocol to
exchange business cards (serving as an ID)
at the first meeting.
IDs (Identification Cards) are important
nowadays. An ID speaks of the person, tells
us who that person is.
There are times when a person cannot make
it to a meeting or gathering or function and
we are asked to represent him or her. And
the ID we bring along is our relation to the
person we represent.
 This is the case of an outstanding father
who was presented an award after his
death. It was the eldest daughter who
represented the family. She began her
acceptance speech by saying: In the name
of my father and his family, I am accepting
this citation...
In the name of... or On behalf of... or
For my father......all these tell us that we
do this representing the person whom we
stand for.
What is our ID as a Catholic? What is our
identity? Who and what do we stand for?
Learn from me...At our Baptism, the
priest, on behalf of the Christian community,
welcomes us and continues... ...I claim you for
Christ our Savior by the SIGN OF HIS CROSS. I now
trace the cross on your forehead and invite your
parents and godparents to do the same. We
received the SIGN OF THE CROSS when we were
baptized; the celebrant signed us and claimed us
for Christ.
For us, Catholics, the Sign of the Cross is our
mark; it speaks of our identity, of what we stand
for. Every time we make the Sign of the Cross, we
remind ourselves of our Baptism:
that I belong to Jesus;
that, like Jesus, everything I
do I do for God;
that I have the dignity of a
child of God, that God shares
his life with me, the Spirit of
God is in me; and
that I am part of the Body of
Christ, his Church, I must
keep this Body alive and
active.
There are other significances of the Sign of the
Cross.
The Sign of the Cross is a profession of
faith. When we make the Sign of the Cross,
we profess a mini-version of the creed. We
profess our belief in the Father, and in the
Son and in the Holy Spirit.
When we pray in someones name, we
make that someone present, we come into
the presence of that person. Thus, when we
begin our prayer, with the Sign of the Cross
and with the words, In the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit, we pray in the presence of the
Blessed Trinity.
 Also, when we feel afraid or worried or
overburdened, we make the sign of the
Cross and put ourselves in the presence of
God, our strength.
The Sign of the Cross is an acceptance of
suffering. When suffering comes, the sign
is a sign of acceptance. It is remembering
that Jesus became man and suffered for us
and that we participate in his suffering; the
sign says: I am willing to embrace suffering
to share in Christs suffering.
When suffering comes and when you feel
that God is not there, the Sign of the Cross
brings Him there and declares His presence.
It is a way of acknowledging Him at the time
of trial.
One of the main teachings of the early
Church Fathers is that the Sign of the Cross
is a defense against the devil. When we
sign ourselves with the Sign of the Cross, we
declare to the devil: Hands off. I belong to
Christ, He is my protector.
The Sign of the Cross is a victory over
temptations and our weaknesses. The
Church Fathers also say if you are angry,
make the Sign of the Cross and it will
destroy the anger and patience will take
over.
When one is tempted or haunted with those
big, stubborn problems which we find
difficult to get rid of, make the Sign of the
Cross and it will help solve the problem.
Remain in me...The Sign of the Cross
should not be taken for granted. One must mark
himself or herself with dignity and respect. It is a
powerful sacramental, an extension of the
Sacrament of Baptism. When I make the Sign of
the Cross, I declare that I belong to Christ and that
as His disciple (like Him) my food is to do the
Fathers will (Jn 4:34).
The Sign of the Cross is a mark of
DISCIPLESHIP.
It is telling JESUS...
I want to obey you.
You direct all my decisions.
I will always be obedient to Gods law, to
Christs teaching and to the Church.
I deny myself...and follow you. (Lk (:23)
I die to my sinfulness so as to have new life
in Jesus. (Romans 6).
I will involve myself in Church activities.
 The Sign of the Cross is the Catholics ID. It
tells us who we are. We should feel
Follow-up Activity
confident in letting people know we are
1. During the week, list down the times you
Catholics and that we belong to Christ. Jesus make the Sign of the Cross and your
tells us: If you are ashamed of me, I will be reason for doing it.
ashamed of you. (Mk 8:38; Lk 9:26) 2. Teach someone at home and another in
Below is an illustration of the proper way of your school/office/organization/
making the SIGN OF THE CROSS. Parents neighbourhood how to make the Sign of
should teach their children how to mark the Cross properly. Explain to him/her the
themselves with the SIGN OF THE CROSS importance and significance and meaning
of the Sign of the Cross.
with dignity and respect.
+ IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND
OF THE SON
AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN.
Prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for
sending us your Son Jesus Christ. He teaches us
how to be good persons. His Death on the Cross
tells us that, as his followers, we do not live for
ourselves but for God and others. He leads us to
you. We want to belong to him. And thus we sign
ourselves + In the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit...as a mark that
indeed we belong to him. Grant us the grace to
remain in him always. Amen.

Reflection Points

1. Do I mark myself with the Sign of the

Cross with honor and dignity?
2. When I make the Sign of the Cross, am I
conscious of its meaning? Or do I do it
mechanically/casually?
3. Am I proud to be a Catholic?