Sign of the Cross

[vegan]

Do non-Catholics bless them selves with the sign of the cross before praying?  When I went home for Christmas, I did not make the sign of the cross before saying "Grace."  My mom, realizing I recently left the Roman Catholic Church, asked me if Evangelicals and Protestants don't bless themselves. I had no idea.

While we are on the topic, is "Grace Before Meals" a Catholic prayer, or do other denominations say it as well (Bless us o lord, for these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen)?

 

[MizDoulos]

Reminder:&nbsp&nbspWhenever a topic is brought up relating to Catholics and non-Catholics, there will be differences of opinion. Let's remember to respect each other's viewpoint and respond with love and kindness.

Also, remember to use your e-mail or the private message option if any personal conflicts arise. Do not air them publicly or the thread will be closed and/or warnings issued.

Thank you for your cooperation.


[noflame]Please keep this rule in mind when responding.[/noflame]

 

[hraedisc]

Do non-Catholics bless them selves with the sign of the cross before praying?

No way.

As a former Catholic, I used to make the sign of the cross. To me, it is useless and medieval. Catholics, please "respect (my) viewpoint and respond with love and kindness."

 

[Annabel Lee]

Originally posted by vegan
Do non-Catholics bless them selves with the sign of the cross before praying?  When I went home for Christmas, I did not make the sign of the cross before saying "Grace."  My mom, realizing I recently left the Roman Catholic Church, asked me if Evangelicals and Protestants don't bless themselves. I had no idea.

While we are on the topic, is "Grace Before Meals" a Catholic prayer, or do other denominations say it as well (Bless us o lord, for these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen)?

I don't think non-Catholics make the Sign of the Cross. At least my two Protestant sisters don't.
I did go to an Episcopal Church for a while and half the congregation made the Sign of the Cross, the other half didn't. It was very confusing.
I believe that the Orthodox Christians do make the Sign of the Cross.

As for "Grace Before Meals", that's the prayer we say at home. I don't think it is exclusively Catholic though.

I'm sure someone else will be able to give you a better answer than the confused mess I just posted.

 

[hraedisc]

As a former Catholic, I said "grace" before meals. But I don't repeat the same old canned prayer anymore. To me, it is a VAIN repetition.

How about some freshness and personality to our prayers? Are we intelligent enough to find other words to say? Or must we abide by some dead men's formula?

Catholics, please "respect (my) viewpoint and respond with love and kindness."

 

[hraedisc]

The Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Episcopalian are just a chromosone away from the other guys. It wouldn't surprise me if they did many unscriptural things in common with them.

Am I right to say that Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans (maybe just two chromosomes away), Presbyterians, Assemblies of God, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Churches of God, Churches of Christ, non-denominations, etc... do not make the Catholic "sign of the cross" or say the Catholic "grace"?

 

[Annabel Lee]

Originally posted by <><
As a former Catholic, I said "grace" before meals. But I don't repeat the same old canned prayer anymore. To me, it is a VAIN repetition.

How about some freshness and personality to our prayers? Are we intelligent enough to find other words to say? Or must we abide by some dead men's formula?

Catholics, please "respect (my) viewpoint and respond with love and kindness."

I don't think I'd call it vain repetitions. The older prayers can be very beautiful. I think of them as a link to our past.

Have you ever listened to the older Christian music in Latin. Done correctly it's like a little bit of Heaven.

Anyway, that's the "Grace" one that my 8 year old likes to say. She's very impressed by 'thee's' and 'thy's'.

 

[vegan]

Originally posted by MizDoulos
Reminder:&nbsp;&nbsp;Whenever a topic is brought up relating to Catholics and non-Catholics, there will be differences of opinion. Let's remember to respect each other's viewpoint and respond with love and kindness.

Also, remember to use your e-mail or the private message option if any personal conflicts arise. Do not air them publicly or the thread will be closed and/or warnings issued.

Thank you for your cooperation.


[noflame]Please keep this rule in mind when responding.[/noflame]

Is it common to get these premptive warnings?&nbsp; I have never seen them before.

 

[vegan]

Originally posted by &lt;&gt;&lt;
As a former Catholic, I said "grace" before meals. But I don't repeat the same old canned prayer anymore. To me, it is a VAIN repetition.

How about some freshness and personality to our prayers? Are we intelligent enough to find other words to say? Or must we abide by some dead men's formula?

I do agree with you somewhat.&nbsp; I used to get tired saying the same old prayer at dinner.&nbsp; However, isnt the Lord's Prayer just as "canned" then?&nbsp; Of course it isnt!&nbsp; But, I do see your point.

 

[hraedisc]

Jesus never intended the so-called "Lord's prayer" to be a set formula, repeated over and over again by His followers throughout the ages. He gave it as a general "outline" for our prayers, which should be put in ones own words.

 

[vegan]

Originally posted by &lt;&gt;&lt;
Jesus never intended the so-called "Lord's prayer" to be a set formula, repeated over and over again by His followers throughout the ages. He gave it as a general "outline" for our prayers, which should be put in ones own words.

HOw do you know what Jesus intended?

 

[MizDoulos]

Originally posted by vegan
Is it common to get these premptive warnings?&nbsp; I have never seen them before.

No, but from past threads, it is common that when Catholic and non-Catholic topics are discussed in one thread, arguments result. So, to head off any potential problems, the Reminder was placed here. I hope this makes it clear.

And in the future, contact me with any questions about Reminders placed in the threads. Your question was off topic and you should have sent me a PM rather than placed in the thread.

 

[nyj]

Originally posted by Annabel Lee
I believe that the Orthodox Christians do make the Sign of the Cross.

Yes, from my experiences, members of the Orthodox faith make the Sign of the Cross. Matter of fact, they go one step further by pinching their first two fingers together with their thumb to further symbolize the trinity (three fingers meeting at one point - Three Persons, One Nature). The other difference is while Catholics touch forehead, chest, left shoulder, right shoulder the Orthodox go forehead, chest, right shoulder, left shoulder.

 

[dignitized]

Originally posted by &lt;&gt;&lt;
The Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Episcopalian are just a chromosone away from the other guys. It wouldn't surprise me if they did many unscriptural things in common with them.

Am I right to say that Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans (maybe just two chromosomes away), Presbyterians, Assemblies of God, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Churches of God, Churches of Christ, non-denominations, etc... do not make the Catholic "sign of the cross" or say the Catholic "grace"?

&nbsp;If you ask me the farther you go from the historical faith of the UNITED UNDIVIDED church the more unscriptural you become.&nbsp; Too quickly so called "evangelicals" throw things out as being unscriptural and yet they cling to very unscriptural notions themselves.&nbsp;

 

[Apologist]

Originally posted by vegan
HOw do you know what Jesus intended?

Because Jesus precluded the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9 with the following words:

In this manner, therefore, pray:

Hank Hanegraaff wrote a book recently called, "The Prayer Of Jesus" and it deals with how we are to apply Jesus' words in our daily prayers.

God Bless

 

[dignitized]

Firstly - for something to be deemed “mediaeval” it must originate during the period between the fall of Western Roman empire circa 476 AD and the beginning of the so called Italian RENAISSANCE which was only brought about by the fall of the EASTERN Roman Empire - called Byzantium, circa 1420-1453 AD. Nothing BEFORE or after can be properly called MEDIAEVAL. The sign of the Cross PREDATES the fall of Rome is thus CANNOT be called mediaeval. Please shed your anti-Roman Catholic biases before you make statements in ignorance of the facts of history.

The early Christians have left us many things. One of these things was the sign of the cross. It identified them as followers of Christ, just as it does for us today. They were persecuted greatly, and had to hide the fact that they were Christians. They used to identify themselves by tracing a cross on the ground with a stick or their sandal, and then quickly wipe it out. Tracing a cross on the forehead became popular almost from the very beginning of Christianity. Tertullian, who died about 230 A.D., said, "In all our actions, when we come in or go out, when we dress, when we wash, at our meals, before resting to sleep, we make on our forehead the sign of the cross. These practices are not committed by a formal law of scripture, but tradition teaches them, custom confirms them, and faith observes them".

 

[nyj]

Originally posted by Br. Max
"In all our actions, when we come in or go out, when we dress, when we wash, at our meals, before resting to sleep, we make on our forehead the sign of the cross. These practices are not committed by a formal law of scripture, but tradition teaches them, custom confirms them, and faith observes them".

Amen.

 

[dignitized]

The sign of the Cross is a confession of faith. It confesses that the person doing it is sealed and consecrated to the Lord. It is done in All liturgical churches that I know of - Catholic, anglican, orthodox, and others. Only in the LOW churches is it absent more out of fear of appearing too “ROMAN” than out of any true objection to the practice.

 

[dignitized]

Funny how the groups that reject the sign of the Cross also reject suffering as well. . . . They deceive themselves into thinking the Christian walk is one of hearts and flowers with no pain. They refuse to identify with the sign of the Lords own suffering.

 

[Caedmon]

Originally posted by <><
But I don't repeat the same old canned prayer anymore.

Canned, you say? My Bible is bonded leather, gold leaf edged, with a center ribbon marker.

To me, it is a VAIN repetition.

How about some freshness and personality to our prayers? Are we intelligent enough to find other words to say? Or must we abide by some dead men's formula?

You mean like, "Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani"?

Catholics, please "respect (my) viewpoint and respond with love and kindness."

Are you doing the same?