WHY DO WE SIGN OURSELVESBEFORE THE PRIEST READS THE GOSPEL?

At Mass, we know that before the reading of the Gospel we must sign ourselves, just as the priest does. The cross is the symbol of the Christian, the badge that indicates that we were saved by Christ's sacrifice. It is very important and is present in all the sacraments, because: with the sign of the cross we begin all our celebrations, especially Holy Mass.

The Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church teach that: "The Cross is the sign of Christ's sacrifice, the one mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5)" CCC 618.

Now, as children we learn to entrust ourselves to the Holy Trinity by making a large cross from the forehead to the chest and then from the left man to the right shoulder, while we say "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit". We call this "crossing yourself". On the other hand, when we sign ourselves, we make three crosses: one on the forehead, one on the lips and one more on the chest, while we say: "+ By the sign of the holy cross, + from our enemies, + deliver us, O Lord our God". And we cross ourselves when we combine both: we sign ourselves and then we make the sign of the cross.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal mentions the following: "Already at the ambo, the priest opens the book and, with his hands folded, says: The Lord be with you and the people answer: And with your spirit and at once: Reading the Holy Gospel, marking the book with his thumb and himself on the forehead,  in the mouth and in the breast, which all the others also do."

So, when you come to Mass, remember to make only three crosses before the priest or deacon proclaims in the Gospel.

Fr. Claudio