Sacramental – The Sanhedrin

On February 11, 1985 Saint Bernadette together with her sister and a friend went to the Grotto of Massabielle to gather firewood. Her companion went first to the woods while St. Bernadette remove her socks and shoes. Then she started to hear two gusts of wind. But the trees didn’t move except for the wild rose in the niche of the Grotto. At the grotto, a beautiful lady appeared to her with a blue girdle, a golden rosary on her hands and colored gold roses on each foot. The lady also covered by white light but she can clearly see the beautiful lady. The lady smiled at her and prompted her to approach her. St. Bernadette took the rosary from her pocket and kneeled before the Lady. When she was starting to make a sign of a cross, her body cannot move. After the sign of the cross of the beautiful lady, she was now able to move her body and also do the sign. Then, they started to praying the Holy Rosary. While praying, the lady is silent but her fingers are moving on every bead of her rosary. When starting to pray the “Glory be”, this is where the Lady accompanied her. St. Bernadette always pray the Rosary on every day she met the Beautiful Lady.

On March 25, 1858, the Beautiful Lady told her that she is “The Immaculate Conception”. This is where the church recognizer her as the Blessed Virgin Mary because at that time, that title is still on debate. Only the clergy knows this title and not the people outside the church, including the young Saint Bernadette. Until it became an official dogma on 1854.

WHY DOES ST. BERNADETTE KNEEL BEFORE THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY? SHE IS NOT A GOD.

Yes, she is not God, but we kneel before her because she is our Queen. Kneeling before her also gives adoration to our Lord Jesus Christ because she is His Mother. The Ark of the New Covenant.

WHY DOES THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY ONLY SAY THE “GLORY BE” AND NOT THE OTHER PRAYERS IN THE HOLY ROSARY?

The reason why she didn’t pray the other prayers because these prayers are meant to pray for those who still on earth, who are still suffering and capable to sin again. Our Blessed Mother, is already a saint in heaven. For Example, in Our Father, the prayer indicates “give us this our daily bread”, the Holy people in Heaven like the Blessed Virgin will never be hungry or thirsty. Then, on “forgive us our sins”, the Holy People or Saints in heaven are not capable to sin again because they are already Holy. The Hail Mary will never be prayed by the Blessed Mother because she is the person that we prayed to. The Glory Be is a prayer praising the Holy Trinity, the Three Persona of God. This prayer is both prayed or sung by the people on earth and the angels and saints on heaven. As for the Fatima Prayer, the prayer does not exist yet at the time when the Blessed Mother appeared in Lourdes because it was created by the Blessed Mother on 1917.

The holy priest St. John understands the power of the sign of the cross. Reminding us to make it a point to remember its capacity to bring the necessary grace and protection, especially from the devil.

The Holy Cross is one icon, image or form that Catholics and Christians will always recognize. It strikingly express the sacrifice Our Lord Jesus Christ that day in Calvary. Every Catholic homes, hospitals and schools usually have crosses to show their affiliation to Christ. Catholic families learn early the special sacramental act of making the sign of the cross. A child would be taught and impress this simple act or gesture by their parents the sign of the cross before any other prayer.

Catholics are expected to pray all the time of the day. Especially in the morning when we ask for essential graces to start the day. We instinctively do the sign before we pray. By making the sacramental sign, we make a prayer, ask the blessing and protection from God, the Holy Trinity.

Making the sign of the cross were universally all part of early tradition and practices. But there is one manner in which everyone is most familiar with.
The sign of the cross is made by positioning together all thumb, index and middle finger upright, while the ring and little finger down were preserved and practiced both in the the Byzantine rite and western traditions. The Roman Catholic Church also does the same gesture while saying the prayer to the Holy Trinity with the sign, the words:

“In the name of the Father (placing the fingers at the forehead), and of the Son (at the stomach) and of the Holy Spirit (across the shoulders). Amen”

“In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen” (in Latin)

Others would do the sign with an open hand, still showing reverence and faith for the blessing desired.

It is part of our public act of worship and devotion. Catholics would always make the sign of the cross when passing over a Catholic church. Before entering a church, it is customary to look for the holy water to dip one’s hand or finger before kneeling upon entry while making the sign. Before and after meals after the prayer of grace and thanksgiving. Even during baptism, god parents were asked to make a sign of the cross on the child, a blessing and protection being part of the christian community. Some would instinctively make the sign in times of distress, anxiety or fear, but also it is a done in great joy, in excitement and thanksgiving.

Other denominations are hostile towards this custom since they cannot fully comprehend the faith involve. But the sorrow and sufferings it brings is also the same Christ who brought salvation thru this sign, making it a source of comfort, healing, peace and joy to Christians who the Spirit of God has shown faith with it.

“For the word of the cross, to them indeed that perish, is foolishness; but to them that are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God” — I Corinthians 1:18 Douay-Rheims Bible
“He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.” – Philippians 2:8 Douay-Rheims Bible

It is foolishness for those who have interpreted the message of Christ differently. When in fact, the apostles and their disciples have already passed on this great mystery of faith. On how important the cross is as a symbol in life and more so in death.

For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.
– John 3:16 Douay-Rheims Bible

For Jesus so loved the world that He faced and embraced the Cross for us to completely redeem each and everyone of us. This is a mystery of faith of the cross, the symbol, the sign, the action are all part of our tradition and will be kept until the end of time.

The Sign of the Cross is used in public worship. Some examples of this are the 50 times it is used during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass [Traditional Roman Mass, not the Novus ordo, which eliminated most of them], at the beginning, end and during the Divine Office, in all Blessings by Bishops and Priests, in the administration of the Sacraments——such as 14 times in Baptism [Traditional Roman rite] and 17 times in Extreme Unction [not the Novus Ordo “Sacrament of the Sick”], and on everything blessed for the service of God, such as altars, linen, holy water, etc.

The Sign of the Cross should always be used before our chief actions and undertakings in order to sanctify them and obtain God’s blessing. Indulgences are given of 50 days for making the Sign of the Cross saying the words, and 100 days for the same when using holy water. [Changed to a simple partial indulgence, since 1968].

The Sign of the Cross rightly made unites the soul to God, gives the spirit of recollection, drives away the devil, and powerfully dissipates temptation; it gives to the Christian the spirit of faith, and preserves him from distraction and from worldliness; but if made with negligence, it loses all its influence and virtue.