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Parish administration and governance
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ASKED AT THE CHURCH DOOR Q : Why do some Episcopalians cross
themselves and others do not?What does this mean? And
what is the gospel reader doing when making little crosses at the
beginning of the gospel reading? Martha Hart's reply: The cross is the most
important of all the Christian symbols and is a reminder of our
Lord's death at Calvary. It was traced on our foreheads at
baptism as a sign that we are "sealed by the Holy Spirit and
marked as Christ's own forever." When we make the sign of the cross, we are making a visible sign
of our devotion to God and are professing our faith in Christian
truths. The physical act of crossing ourselves - right hand to
forehead, diaphragm, left shoulder, then right shoulder - at
various times during worship can help us be more reverent, more
focused on God and more intentional in our prayer. Crossing ourselves is optional and based on personal preference;
there are no rules about when it is to be done. One common time
when most, if not all, of the congregation makes the sign of the
cross is at the time of absolution following confession when the
celebrant pronounces the forgiveness of sins to those who have
confessed them. Making the sign of the cross is a reverent action, as is bowing
heads, kneeling, standing, and genuflecting (kneeling momentarily
on one knee) at appropriate times during worship. The gospeller, often the deacon, may make the sign of the cross
with the thumb of the right hand on his/her forehead, on the lips,
on the heart, and on the gospel book prior to reading. This use of
the "little crosses" is a way of praying that the gospel
message, the good news of Christ, be in the mind, on the lips, and
in the heart of the reader. This action is also a matter of
personal choice. If you have a particular question,
you'd like addressed in this column, please send it to
info@thechapelofthecross.org Send
items for inclusion in future "Cross Roads." © 2006 The Chapel of the Cross |