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What the Sign of the Cross Actually Means, Finger by Finger
What the video says
Most people make the sign of the cross too fast or only halfway, not because they do not care but because nobody taught them what it means. The three pressed fingers stand for the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons, one God. The two folded fingers represent Jesus, fully God and fully man, pointing down because he came down to us.
Touching the forehead gives God the mind, the stomach gives the heart, and the shoulders give the strength. Knowing this, a person cannot brush the cross off like a fly anymore but gives their whole self to God, mind, heart and strength, in three seconds.
Key moments
- Many people make the sign of the cross too fast, only halfway, or like a small wave in front of the chest, because nobody told them what they are doing.
- The three pressed fingers are the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons, one God.
- The two folded fingers are Jesus, fully God and fully man, pointing down because he came down to us.
- Forehead: I give him my mind. Stomach: love to my heart. Right and left shoulders: I give him my strength, everything I do.
- Knowing the meaning, you give your whole self to God, mind, heart and strength, in three seconds, so slow down, go all the way, and ask how you were taught to make the cross.
The speaker observes that most people make the sign of the cross too fast or only halfway, not because they do not care but because nobody taught them what it means. He then explains the gesture part by part. The three pressed fingers stand for the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons and one God. The two folded fingers represent Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, and they point downward because he came down to us.
The movement of the hand across the body is also explained as an offering: touching the forehead gives God the mind, touching the stomach gives the heart, and touching the shoulders gives the strength. The speaker says that a person who knows this can no longer brush the cross off like a fly. Instead, the person gives their whole self to God, mind, heart and strength, in the three seconds it takes to make the sign.
He closes by telling viewers to slow down, go all the way, and ask how they were taught to make the cross.
Main points
- Many people make the sign of the cross too fast, only halfway, or like a small wave in front of the chest, because nobody told them what they are doing.
- The three pressed fingers are the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons, one God.
- The two folded fingers are Jesus, fully God and fully man, pointing down because he came down to us.
- Forehead: I give him my mind. Stomach: love to my heart. Right and left shoulders: I give him my strength, everything I do.
- Knowing the meaning, you give your whole self to God, mind, heart and strength, in three seconds, so slow down, go all the way, and ask how you were taught to make the cross.