The Sign Of The CrossSample

And of the Holy Spirit

The final part of making the Sign of the Cross consists of a line being drawn from the left shoulder to the right whilst saying “and of the Holy Spirit.” By drawing the cross beam onto our own shoulders, we recall the words of Jesus to his disciples about taking up our own cross and also his comforting words about how the burden he invites us to carry is light.

By naming the Holy Spirit as we draw this cross beam, we recall that it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to carry our load and to follow our Lord. Thinking about Jesus as Son enables us to consider the nature of the relationship within the Trinity. In a similar way, thinking about the Holy Spirit enables us to consider another aspect of the nature of God. When we consider Jesus, we have an image of God in the most tangible form. He walked, talked and lived amongst us. We could touch him and listen to him. When we consider the Holy Spirit, we have nothing tangible. We have only titles that highlight what the Holy Spirit does and metaphors such as water, fire, wind and breath trying to grasp something unfathomable.

The fact that God is both understandable like Jesus and unfathomable like the Holy Spirit draws us ever deeper into the mystery of who God is. The beauty of God’s mystery is found in the fact that it is the person of the Trinity, most unknowable who breathes in us, guiding us ever closer in our relationship with the Father and the Son.

Prayer

Source of wisdom,
breath of Life,
comforter and guide.
I love you and need you.
Come breathe anew in me, please.
As I breathe, open my eyes to see the world,
to see your presence in the world,
and to play my part in your creative life.
Amen.