hly, Christ's threefold prayer upon the cross is represented; one
for His persecutors when He said, "Father, forgive them"; the second
for deliverance from death, when He cried, "My God, My God, why hast
Thou forsaken Me?" the third referring to His entrance into glory,
when He said, "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit"; and in
order to denote these there is a triple signing with the cross made
at the words, "Thou dost sanctify, quicken, bless."

Seventhly, the three hours during which He hung upon the cross, that
is, from the sixth to the ninth hour, are represented; in
signification of which we make once more a triple sign of the cross
at the words, "Through Him, and with Him, and in Him."

Eighthly, the separation of His soul from the body is signified by
the two subsequent crosses made over the chalice.

Ninthly, the resurrection on the third day is represented by the
three crosses made at the words--"May the peace of the Lord be ever
with you."

In short, we may say that the consecration of this sacrament, and the
acceptance of this sacrifice, and its fruits, proceed from the virtue
of the cross of Christ, and therefore wherever mention is made of
these, the priest makes use of the sign of the cross.

Reply Obj. 4: After the consecration, the priest makes the sign of
the cross, not for the purpose of blessing and consecrating, but only
for calling to mind the virtue of the cross, and the manner of
Christ's suffering, as is evident from what has been said (ad 3).

Reply Obj. 5: The actions performed by the priest in mass are not
ridiculous gestures, since they are done so as to represent something
else. The priest in extending his arms signifies the outstretching of
Christ's arms upon the cross. He also lifts up his hands as he prays,
to point out that his prayer is directed to God for the people,
according to Lam. 3:41: "Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to
the Lord in the heavens": and Ex. 17:11: "And when Moses lifted up
his hands Israel overcame." That at times he joins his hands, and
bows down, praying earnestly and humbly, denotes the humility and
obedience of Christ, out of which He suffered. He closes his fingers,
i.e. the thumb and first finger, after the consecration, because,
with them, he had touched the consecrated body of Christ; so that if
any particle cling to the fingers, it may not be scattered: and this
belongs to the reverence for this sacrament.

Reply Obj. 6: Five times d