mother Church and abandoned
the beautiful custom of making the sign of the Cross. It is a great
crime, then, to be ashamed of a sign which serves for our honor and
distinction. And Jesus Christ says, "For whosoever shall be ashamed of
me, and of my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he
shall come in his majesty, and of his father's, and of the holy angels"
(Luke ix, 26). "But whosoever shall deny me before men, I will also
deny him before my Father, who is in heaven" (Matt, x, 33). Thus does
Jesus Christ express Himself concerning those who are ashamed of the
glorious sign of the true Christian, and those who reject this sign
with contempt.

II. The Cross is, furthermore, a sign of blessing. It reminds us, in
the first place, as we have considered, of the source of all blessing,
of all gifts and graces for body and soul. This source is the blessed
Trinity. As often as we make the sign of the Cross we invoke the
blessings of God upon us, for we owe all blessings to the infinite
merits of our divine Saviour, who died upon the Cross for us. The
ignominious instrument of torture and death, the Cross, has now become
the instrument of life and the source of salvation. Hence the Church
never dispenses blessing except in the sign of the Cross. St.
Chrysostom says therefore: Every blessing in which we participate is
accomplished through the sign of the Cross. When regeneration (Baptism)
takes place, the sign of the Cross is employed. Whether we partake of
that holy mysterious food or receive any other of the Sacraments, it is
always under the sign of our victory, the sign of the Cross. We should,
therefore, earnestly endeavor to have this sign in our homes, and often
sign our foreheads with it; for it is the commemoration of our
salvation and of our redemption. In making the sign of the Cross
devoutly we say to God: Heavenly Father, behold not our sins which
render us unworthy of thy grace, but the Cross of thy beloved Son, with
which we sign our foreheads, which we profess with our lips and carry
devoutly in our hearts. For the sake of Jesus' bitter death upon the
Cross be merciful to us and grant us the assistance of thy grace in all
our words and actions! This is the prayer which is contained in the
sign of the Cross. That such prayer will not remain unheard is attested
by numerous manifestations of grace which have been obtained through
this sign, and the countless miracles which at all times have been
per