Going Deeper in Prayer: The Sign of the Cross

1 Resources for the Sign of the Cross and the Glory Be

Office for Catechesis and Evangelization Diocese of La Crosse

Going Deeper in Prayer:

The Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Praying and focusing on the Sign of the Cross throughout the entire year will help you to know and

adore the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The following

resources are meant to foster this process. Please consider reading over one part of the resources

on the following pages, one time a week for example, to take you further in your understanding of

the Sign of the Cross.

God’s love for us

The Father sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the

Cross for you so that your sins could be forgiven

and you could become an adopted child of God.

Making the Sign of the Cross on yourself and

praying in the name of the Father, the Son and

the Holy Spirit will remind you of God’s

incredible love for you and each person.

Why do you want to pray the Sign of the Cross

every day? The Blessed Trinity blessing the world, with the Father portrayed as a

grandfather and the Biblical image of the Holy Spirit as a dove.

1) To pray the Sign of the Cross more reverently, being aware that you are addressing the Person

of the Father, the Person of the Son, Jesus, and the Person of the Holy Spirit

2) To recognize the gesture you are making is a Cross, because Jesus died on the Cross for your

sins.

3) To become more and more aware how much God loves you

4) To always keep in mind that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit

The Meaning of the Words and the Gestures

 As Catholics, we always begin and end our prayer with the Sign of the Cross. When we make

the Sign of the Cross, we are telling God we believe in Him, and we are offering our prayers to

Him.

 The Sign of the Cross is a prayer – not just an introduction. Each time that we make the Sign of

the Cross and pray the words we give praise to the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity.

 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit We are praying in the name

of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. “Christians are baptized in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: not in their names, for there is only one God, the almighty

Father, his only Son and the Holy Spirit: the Most Holy Trinity.” (CCC 233) In the words of this

prayer of the Sign of the Cross, we are calling upon the power of the name of God. The words

“In the name of” are synonymous with “in the Person of”. We are placing ourselves under the

2 Resources for the Sign of the Cross and the Glory Be

Office for Catechesis and Evangelization Diocese of La Crosse

power and authority of the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is essential to know that

the prayer, the Sign of the Cross, is not complete when leaving out the words “In the name of.”

 Amen. The word Amen at the end of the prayer means, “So be it.” (Catechism of the Catholic

Church, Hereafter CCC, paragraph 2856) This signifies that we believe the words that we are

praying.

 The Sign of the Cross expresses two chief mysteries of our Faith:

1) God is a Trinity of Persons – three Persons, One God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

2) And Jesus died on the Cross for us.

Activities for deeper understanding

 Always begin and end prayer with the Sign of the

Cross.

 Always make the Sign of the Cross slowly and with

great reverence.

 If you notice that you have not been attentive in

addressing the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

when praying the Sign of the Cross, simply repeat

it again with greater reverence.

 When you dip your fingers into the holy water

fountain, make the Sign of the Cross with great

reverence while you prayerfully say the words.

Take your time and think about the wonderful fact

that you are addressing the Father, the Son, and

the Holy Spirit.

 Make a request of Jesus for a specific need, such

as healing for a sick child, help to find a good job,

rain for the farmers, safe travel in a storm, etc.

When a prayer is answered, it makes faith come alive and will help you to deepen your

relationship with Him. At a time when you have a specific prayer that was answered, it is

most helpful for you to write it down, in order to remember it in the future, and then possibly

relate it to a trusted friend.

 One thing you can be sure of is that God always answers every prayer. The answer

might be “yes”, the answer could be “no”, or the answer could be “not yet” because

God knows there is a “right timing” involved and that timing has not yet come.

Sometimes the answer is “yes” because God knows that what you are praying for is for

your good. Sometimes, the answer to your prayer might be “no” because sometimes

you pray for something that you think will be the best thing for you, while indeed, you

are wrong. Thank goodness the answer from God is sometimes ‘no,’ if what you are

asking for is not good for you. And sometimes the answer to your prayer is “not yet”

because God’s timing is always perfect. For example: He knows that you need a more

mature disposition of heart in order to receive the answer. Further, this could also

include the hearts of other persons as well as circumstances surrounding the situation.

When you seemingly don’t receive an answer because of God’s perfect timing, you

need to remember the importance of patience.

3 Resources for the Sign of the Cross and the Glory Be

Office for Catechesis and Evangelization Diocese of La Crosse

 The answer to prayer may also come in the form of silence, which is also guidance for

you from the Lord. A lesson to learn from this situation –

feeling like God is not responding over a long period of time –

is to grow in your trust of Jesus; that He always wants what is

best for you. Jesus is always good even when the

circumstances around you are seemingly difficult and last

much longer than you want them to. The “Good News” is that

“God is shaping all things together for good for those who love

Him.” (Romans 8:28) It is the very nature of Who He is.

Nothing in the world can change that; and you want to hold

onto this truth with your whole heart for the duration.

 Jesus desires a relationship with you. You don’t want to

just ask for good things from God with no desire to speak with Him and develop a

friendship with Him.

Learning the Principles

 The Sign of the Cross is a sign in the form of a cross made by a Christian as a prayer honoring

the Blessed Trinity, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

(Glossary of the Catechism, p. 899)

 When you pray by making the Sign of the Cross, you acknowledge that Jesus is God, and in so

doing you receive God’s favor – His grace- which makes you joyful/happy.

 Each time you pray the Sign of the Cross, you remind yourself of God's love for you, of the

sacrifice Jesus made to give you eternal life in Heaven, and of the presence of the Holy Spirit

within you. This Sign marks you as a Christian and is a visible expression of your belief and

hope in God. Therefore, the Sign of the Cross is very important and cannot become routine.

 You can “sign” yourself at any time as “the Sign of the Cross strengthens you in temptations

and difficulties.” (CCC 2157)

 You make the Sign of the Cross to show God you believe in Him as the Blessed Trinity.

 The Sign of the Cross, on the threshold of the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism, marks

with the imprint of Christ on the one who is going to belong to Him and signifies the grace of

the redemption Christ won for us by the cross. (CCC 1235)

 “The Christian begins his day, his prayers, and his activities with the Sign of the Cross: ‘In the

name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.’ The baptized person

dedicates the day to the glory of God and calls on the Savior's grace which lets him act in the

Spirit as a child of the Father. The Sign of the Cross strengthens us in temptations and

difficulties.” (CCC 2157)

 Further, the Catechism states that “The Sign of the Cross makes kings of all those reborn in

Christ” through the waters of Baptism (paragraph 786). Christ is a King, who served you to the

point of giving His life for you. When you were baptized, and the Sign of the Cross was made

on your forehead, you were spiritually remade into the likeness of Christ and His kingship. To

be a king means to serve others with complete self-giving love. Therefore, you are to be a

king, under the Sign of His Cross, who serve others, especially those in most need.

 Praying the Sign of the Cross is a powerful sacramental. When you make this Sign and pray

the words, you are declaring that you belong to Christ through the Sacrament of Baptism and

4 Resources for the Sign of the Cross and the Glory Be

Office for Catechesis and Evangelization Diocese of La Crosse

that you desire to obey Him. “Sacramentals are sacred signs which bear a certain

resemblance to the Sacraments, and by means of which spiritual effects are signified and

obtained through the prayers of the Church.” (Glossary of the Catechism, page 898)

 Prayer is a vital necessity. Prayer and Christian life are inseparable. (CCC 2744-2745) In other

words, when you pray with your heart, you will come to know our Heavenly Father, Jesus

Christ, and the Holy Spirit personally and deeply. As your friendship with Jesus grows, you will

recognize more and more how much He loves you and how much you love Him. From this

love, received and given, you will respond from a natural desire to be one with Jesus in all

things, and live your life in a way that is reflective of His own. This brings much peace and

happiness (joy) to yourself and those around you.

 In Sacred Art, our Heavenly Father is portrayed as a grandfather. However, the Father is not a

grandfather. He is outside of time and space. He is a Divine Person; pure spirit, without a

body. The Holy Spirit is portrayed in Sacred Art by Biblical symbols such as the dove.

Likewise, the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, pure spirit, without a body.

Spiritual Comprehension

 The Sign of the Cross is a most important prayer that you will

want to have good understanding before you decide to go

deeper with another prayer. Plan to spend an entire year

focusing specifically on the Sign of the Cross.

Encountering the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in Prayer

 Take some time to quiet down interiorly. As you pray the Sign

of the Cross, notice what word(s) or phrase stood out for you.

For example: “Father” or “Glory be to the Father.” Repeat the name or phrase over and over

again slowly. Think about our Heavenly Father and His love and care for you. Have a “heart –

to-Heart conversation with the Father, about something that is weighing on your heart. This

takes prayer to the next level of a deep personal encounter.

Another helpful step is to write down some notes about your prayer experience.

 You will want to pray this prayer with great reverence and love for our Heavenly Father, Jesus,

and the Holy Spirit which will lead to a deeper friendship with and adoration of each Person of

the Blessed Trinity.

Scriptural Foundation

 Jesus said, “Full authority has been given to Me both in Heaven

and on earth; go, therefore and make disciples of all the

nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the

Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to carry out everything

I have commanded you. And know that I am with you always,

until the end of the world.” (Matthew 28: 18-20)

5 Resources for the Sign of the Cross and the Glory Be

Office for Catechesis and Evangelization Diocese of La Crosse

The Glory Be

Glory be to the Father,

and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now,

and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

 The Sign of the Cross is a most important prayer. If the Sign of the Cross becomes well

understood, and there is time before the end of the year, you will also want to go deeper in

your understanding of the Glory Be prayer.

Why do you want to pray the Glory Be every day?

1) To be ever conscious of God’s love and goodness because He created you out of love, in His

image and likeness. You are His creation; you are His child.

2) To learn how to pray the Glory Be reverently, being aware that you are giving glory and praise

to the Person of the Father, the Person of the Son, Jesus, and the Person of the Holy Spirit.

3) To be constantly reminded to turn upward toward God, knowing that He is Father, Son and Holy

Spirit.

4) To offer praise and glory to God in everything that you do.

The Meaning of the Words

 Glory be to the Father,

You are to give glory and praise to God because He created you out of His love and goodness,

and He sent His Son, Jesus, to save you from Satan, sin and death. “Praise [giving glory] is the

form of prayer which recognizes most immediately that God is God. It lauds [exalts, magnifies]

God for His own sake and gives Him glory, quite beyond what He does, but simply because HE

IS. It shares in the blessed happiness of the pure of heart who love God in faith before seeing

Him in glory. By praise, the Spirit is joined to our spirits to bear witness that we are children of

God, testifying to the only Son in whom we are adopted and by whom we glorify the Father.

Praise embraces the other forms of prayer and carries them toward Him who is its source and

goal: the ‘one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist’" (CCC 2639).

God is the Supreme Being and nothing exists outside of His will, goodness and love. God does

not need to be glorified but He deserves to be given glory – your ultimate expression of honor

and worship – through your belief, prayer and actions. “St. Bonaventure explains that God

created all things ‘not to increase His glory, but to show forth and communicate it,’ for God has

no other reason for creating than His love and goodness” (CCC 293). God is love itself and love

is always giving to the other; God is always giving to you.

You are made whole, blessed, fulfilled, and brought to perfection in our glorifying God. God is

thrilled when someone receives His love and gives Him glory by thanking and praising Him.

“The glory of God consists in the realization of this manifestation and communication of his

goodness, for which the world was created. God made us ‘to be His sons through Jesus Christ,

according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of his glorious grace’, for ‘the glory of God is

man fully alive...’" (CCC 294).

6 Resources for the Sign of the Cross and the Glory Be

Office for Catechesis and Evangelization Diocese of La Crosse

And to the Son

You are to give glory and praise to God the Son – Jesus – because He is your Savior. Due to sin,

you were separated from our Heavenly Father. Jesus willingly gave His life for you by dying on

the Cross, so that you could be reunited with the Father, as His adopted child. He rescues you

from the consequences of sin and death.

And to the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, through His passion, death and Resurrection, obtained for you the gift of the Holy Spirit,

the third Person of the Trinity, from the Father, enabling you to become His child and to live

your life as He would have you, free from the poison of sin and its consequences. You give glory

and praise to God the Holy Spirit because He now lives within you through Baptism, and He

strengthens you with His power to live free from sin.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

God is eternal without beginning or end. This is how it was in the beginning and will be forever.

Amen. The word Amen at the end of the prayer means, “So be it.” (CCC 2856) This signifies that

you believe the words that you are praying

Learning the Principles

 You are called to give glory to God, because He is your Creator and Lord.

 The Glory Be prayer is a doxology. This is a Greek word meaning an expression of glory or praise

of God. You give Him glory because He is your origin and destiny. Christians pray this prayer as

a way of summing up all their feelings and intentions at the end of some longer prayer. In a

sense, the glory of God is the purpose and the content of all your prayers and actions, and so

you bring them all together asy our act of glorifying God in the Blessed Trinity.

 “All the activities of the Church are directed, as toward their end, to the sanctification

[purification of Christians and making us holy] of men in Christ and the glorification of God

[giving God glory].” (CCC 824)

 This kind of prayer – of giving glory to God – is found most of all in the Mass.

The Gloria prayer is prayed at Mass every Sunday except during Lent. The words of this prayer

help you to understand the meaning of giving glory to God.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise You, we bless You, we adore You, we glorify You,

we give You thanks for your great glory,

Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

You take away the sin of the world,

have mercy on us;

You take away the sin of the world,

receive our prayer;

You are seated at the right hand of the Father,

have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One;

you alone are the Lord.

You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,

7 Resources for the Sign of the Cross and the Glory Be

Office for Catechesis and Evangelization Diocese of La Crosse

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God, the Father. Amen

The Eucharistic prayer, which contains the high point of each Mass—the consecration of the

bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ—ends with the beautiful prayer:

Through Him, with Him, and in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is

Yours, Almighty Father, forever and ever. Amen.

At Holy Mass on Sunday, another prayer of glory is prayed at the end of the Our Father. This

doxology is similar to the Glory Be prayer and has the same purpose.

For the kingdom, and the power, and the glory are Yours, now and forever.

Ending a prayer with this kind of praise was common in Old Testament worship and is often

used in the New Testament by St. Paul in his epistles, St. Peter in his letters, and St. John in the

book of Revelation.

 We pray the Glory Be prayer most often when praying the Rosary, at the end of each decade,

or a set of ten Hail Marys.

 If at any point in our lives, in joy or in sorrow, in the middle of troubles or struggles, in hope and

in fear, when perhaps we cannot find the words, we can always pray perfectly that God may be

glorified always, and so we will be praying for all we really want. In a way, we will be praying as

God “prays,” since the Savior prayed in the face of His deepest suffering, “Now, Father, glorify

your Son with the glory He had before the world began”—that is, “as it was in the beginning, is

now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.”

Scriptural Foundation

 All creation, including the angels give glory to God: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth

peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14

 “The only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

(Romans 16:27)

 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1

Corinthians 10:31)

 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under

the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God

the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)

 “Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Philippians 4:20

 “And has made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for

ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:6

 “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him.” Revelation 14:7

 “Give glory to the LORD your God.” Jeremiah 13:16

 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”

(Psalm 19:1)

 Chronicles 29:11; Daniel 3:24-90