Page 6 - Lessons and Activities on Prayer

1
Sign of the CroSS
Catechist background
e practice of beginning prayers by tracing the sign of the cross is prominent in the catholic church. in the early days of the church, a small sign of the cross was traced on one’s forehead us- ing the thumb or nger.
scripture provides us with the symbolism of the sign of the cross. e shape of the sign of the cross reminds us of the cross on which Jesus died. it also reminds us of the Trinity: Father, son, and holy spirit.
e sign of the cross is used in the rites of the sacraments. in baptism, the sign of the cross is made on the forehead of the person being bap- tized to remind us that the cross is one of the main mysteries of our faith. e words of baptism—“i baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit,” taken from Matthew’s gospel (Matthew 28:19)—are spoken while the water is poured or while the one to be baptized is immersed. is reminds us of the Triune God.
in the rite of the anointing of the sick, the priest anoints the sick person on the forehead; he makes the sign of the cross while praying: “ rough this holy anointing may the lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the holy spirit. amen.” he also anoints the sick person on the hands, mak- ing the sign of the cross while praying: “May the lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up. amen.”
when a bishop administers the sacrament of con rmation, he anoints each person to be con- rmed. he makes the sign of the cross on the forehead while he prays: “be sealed with the gift of the holy spirit.”
during the sacrament of reconciliation, after the penitent has confessed his or her sins and made an act of contrition, the priest makes the sign of the cross while praying: “i absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit.”
although this is a short prayer, the challenge in teaching it to others is getting the correct hand placement with the right words. (hint: left shoul- der before right shoulder because “l” comes before “r” in the alphabet.)
Prayer
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sign of the CroSS LeSSon PLan 1
Objectives
□ To learn the sign of the cross with the words and gestures
□ To learn the symbols of the sign of the cross found in scripture
materials
□ 5 spring-type wooden clothespins □ Permanent black marker □ Upper-body silhouette template traced
on cardboard and folded in half lengthwise so the crease may be used to place the second and fth clothespins on the chest
lesson
▪ after you gather the children around you, discuss the sign of the cross and how we use it to begin our prayers, including the prayer of the Mass.
▪ acquaint them with the biblical symbols of the sign of the cross: the cross Jesus died on and the three persons in the Trinity.
▪ use the activity with the clothespins and torso template to practice the words and gestures of the sign of the cross.
▪ Make the sign of the cross together, stressing that it should be done slowly and reverently.
▪ if time permits take the children over to church
6
Twenty-Third Publications Sample