The Sign of the Cross

I had an interesting question posed, that I would like to respond to: 

I have a question...when in a public space and prayer is offered...do we make the sign of the cross if the person does not pray "in the name..."

My response: 

I think one way to look at this question is to start from the place of asking what is the making of the sign of the Cross? These actions are on one level what is known as a sacramental. We often think of sacramentals as physical objects (holy water, a wooden rosary, etc.,) but sacramentals can also be liturgical acts like the making of the Sign of the Cross.

What is the purpose of a sacramental? A sacramental is, as the name suggests, something that points us to the Sacraments. More precisely, a sacramental is a sacred sign that signify spiritual effects and prepare us for the sacraments. For example, a rosary points us towards Christ, who is present in the sacraments like the Eucharist. Likewise, holy water points us towards the sacrament of Baptism, where we first encountered Christ in His death so that we might one day be united with Christ in His Resurrection.

 

Liturgical acts can likewise point us to Christ in the Sacraments. When we make the Sign of the Cross, we are making a public sign that points to Christ's death on the Cross. We see the Cross in literally all the Sacraments in a way. In the Eucharist, we hear about the Passion and Death and the mystery of faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. We see the cross in Confession when we encounter the risen Lord in the form of the priest who is in the person the risen Christ. Even in something like a wedding, two people come together in the sacrament to join their lives in a unique way where one's primary duty is to help lead their spouse to Christ and ultimately to heaven, even if that means dying to the self at times so that your spouse may encounter the Risen Lord at the Resurrection.

 

Making the Sign of the Cross is therefore a sacramental because it points and reminds people to the Sacraments. It reminds us, but also those around us, that the Cross and the man that died thereon, is real and will come again. The people around us may not believe in Christ or in the Sacraments, but seeing someone make the Sign of the Cross is like putting up a red Stop sign at an intersection. People may not like it. They may not follow it. They may think it is a negative abridgement of freedom, but the Stop sign is a sign post that does remind people of a greater reality and to be more aware. Sacramentals act in that way as a reminder that point people to the greater reality of Christ and His Sacraments, whether they know Christ or not.

 

The meaning of Sacramentals can be retroactive in people's memory. People may not even necessarily at that moment when you make the Sign of the Cross understand what they are seeing. They may have no idea what a Cross is or was, but it's a sign nonetheless. Like when one is driving and does not comprehend what that big red hexagon means, if they run it and end up in a wreck, they will look back and then they may understand what that sign meant, even if they missed its meaning at the time they first saw it. They may have to learn the hard way, but at some point, at the Sacramental signs will eventually add up in their mind and they will "get it."

 

So, to answer your question, is it okay to make the Sign of the Cross to a prayer that may not specifically be in the Trinitarian formula, or even necessarily Christian per se? I would argue making the Sign of the Cross is never a bad thing because it is reminding people of the Cross and Christ, even if the person leading the prayer does not even believe in Christ. You are showing a sign that reminds people of Christ, even if it might be a subversive act to the person offering the prayer. Making Christ present in real time with a meaningful sacramental act is always a good evangelism tool.