The great tradition of Catholics, to be proud of the ‘Sign of the Cross’ was mocked and teased today by some anti-Catholic medias because of their ignorance about the biblical and historical basis of this spiritual tradition. We sign ‘the cross’ on our forehead; decorate our Churches with cross and administer sacraments with the same sign.
The Biblical basis: When we make the sign of the cross, we proclaim the message of salvation purchased by Jesus through the cross. The Bible clearly states: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18)
The Bible teaches us to be proud of it as the message of the cross is the power of God; “But God forbid that I should boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. (Gal. 6:14)
Cross symbolizes our day to day sufferings without which there is no crown for Christians. When Peter tried to keep Jesus away from the Cross, he called Peter “Satan.” So it is clear, Satan is afraid and keeping himself away from the Cross as it is through the Cross, Jesus destroyed the devil’s kingdom and saved mankind from the slavery of sin and death.
Early Christians, even before the Bible was formed, kept this spiritual practice in common to keep Satan away and to save themselves from the powers of evil.
Cyril of Jerusalem wrote in A.D. 386: “Let us therefore not be ashamed of the cross of Christ; but though another hide it, do thou openly seal it upon thy forehead , that the devils may beheld the royal sign and flee trembling far away. Make then this sign at eating and drinking, at sitting, at lying down, at rising up, at speaking, at walking: in a word, at every act.”
Ephrem of Syria testifies in A.D. 373: “Make all your actions with the sign of the life-giving Cross. Do not go out from “the doors of your house till you have signed yourself with the cross. Do not neglect that sign whether in eating and drinking or going to sleep, or in the home or going on a journey. There is no habit to be compared with it. Let it be a protecting wall around all your conduct, and teach it to your children that they may earnestly learn the custom.”
Thousands of saints used this sign to be victorious over satanic attacks as it is through this sign Jesus made possible the forgiveness of our sins. In the Christian world, Sign of the Cross was widely used very effectively in exorcism throughout the centuries. Christians must use this sign proudly as it trembles Satan and the Bible proves it.
Jesus says to us: “Take your cross and follow me.” Centuries old spiritual experiences of holy people show Satan is afraid of the Sign of the Cross and he hates it. Iglesia Ni Cristo, Dating Daan and some other sects also hate the Sign of the Cross! (‘Remove all crosses’ is one of the commands of ‘Pandoktrina’ the official teaching of INC, page 14.)
The Biblical basis: When we make the sign of the cross, we proclaim the message of salvation purchased by Jesus through the cross. The Bible clearly states: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18)
The Bible teaches us to be proud of it as the message of the cross is the power of God; “But God forbid that I should boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. (Gal. 6:14)
Cross symbolizes our day to day sufferings without which there is no crown for Christians. When Peter tried to keep Jesus away from the Cross, he called Peter “Satan.” So it is clear, Satan is afraid and keeping himself away from the Cross as it is through the Cross, Jesus destroyed the devil’s kingdom and saved mankind from the slavery of sin and death.
Early Christians, even before the Bible was formed, kept this spiritual practice in common to keep Satan away and to save themselves from the powers of evil.
Cyril of Jerusalem wrote in A.D. 386: “Let us therefore not be ashamed of the cross of Christ; but though another hide it, do thou openly seal it upon thy forehead , that the devils may beheld the royal sign and flee trembling far away. Make then this sign at eating and drinking, at sitting, at lying down, at rising up, at speaking, at walking: in a word, at every act.”
Ephrem of Syria testifies in A.D. 373: “Make all your actions with the sign of the life-giving Cross. Do not go out from “the doors of your house till you have signed yourself with the cross. Do not neglect that sign whether in eating and drinking or going to sleep, or in the home or going on a journey. There is no habit to be compared with it. Let it be a protecting wall around all your conduct, and teach it to your children that they may earnestly learn the custom.”
Thousands of saints used this sign to be victorious over satanic attacks as it is through this sign Jesus made possible the forgiveness of our sins. In the Christian world, Sign of the Cross was widely used very effectively in exorcism throughout the centuries. Christians must use this sign proudly as it trembles Satan and the Bible proves it.
Jesus says to us: “Take your cross and follow me.” Centuries old spiritual experiences of holy people show Satan is afraid of the Sign of the Cross and he hates it. Iglesia Ni Cristo, Dating Daan and some other sects also hate the Sign of the Cross! (‘Remove all crosses’ is one of the commands of ‘Pandoktrina’ the official teaching of INC, page 14.)
During the exorcism rite of the Catholic Church the materials that can be seen are CROSS with the corpus, Incense and Thurible, Bible, Rosary, Book of Exorcism, holy water...etc
ReplyDeleteDuring the rite the Cross is held in front of the person being possessed by the devil himself. There you can see the possessed struggling in despair because of it's presence and representation of the sacred object.