The Sign of the Cross – The Prayer of Power

St. Bernadette & the Sign of the Cross

Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary, appeared several times to St. Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France in 1858. During one apparition she asked Bernadette for a chapel to be built where she was appearing and for people to process there and pray.

Eight years later, before Bernadette entered a convent, the chapel had been built. At the consecration ceremony, young girls who were members of the local Sodality of Our Lady, including Bernadette, were present. Many of the faithful who had come for the ceremony wanted to see her, the young girl to whom Our Lady had appeared; but all the girls looked the same, clothed in similar white dresses with identical blue sashes.

When prayers began, everyone present made the usual, somewhat rapid, sign of the cross, including the Sodality members. But many people noticed how one young lady was unhurried and extremely reverent with every word and gesture as she signed herself with the sign of the cross. They knew this was Bernadette. Some said later that as she did this they could see a reflection of heaven in her face.

In describing Our Lady’s apparitions, Bernadette said that the Lady always began her prayers with the sign of the cross. The Lady would raise her rosary and touch the crucifix to her forehead. When asked why she herself always made such a reverent sign of the cross, Bernadette said she was trying to do what “the most beautiful lady” did.

Before she died, Bernadette said that we can go to heaven if we pray this one short prayer well – the sign of the Cross.

Weapon Against Demons

St. John Marie Vianney, who literally fought with devils, said a reverent sign of the Cross “makes all hell tremble.”

St. John Marie advised that one always carry a crucifix:

 The sign of the cross is the most terrible weapon against the devil. Thus the Church wishes not only that we have it continually in front of our minds to recall to us just what our souls are worth and what they cost Jesus Christ, but also that we should make it at every juncture ourselves: when we go to bed, when we awaken during the night, when we get up, when we begin any action, and, above all, when we are tempted.

Open Carry – Assault Cross

Again and again, the devils attacked St. John Marie, but he was well armed:  “The demon is very cunning, but he is not strong. Making a Sign of the Cross soon puts him to flight … when I made the Sign of the Cross they departed.” Devils assaulted St. John Marie so much that he nicknamed the devil “the grappin.” He said, “Oh! the grappin and myself? We are almost chums.” This saint was no military genius or battlefield strategist, but he knew that for combat with Satan, his minions, and those on this earth who do the devil’s bidding that you don’t go unarmed into spiritual combat:

Fill your children, my dear brethren, with the greatest respect for the Cross and always have a blessed Cross on yourselves, it will protect you against the Devil, from the vengeance of Heaven and from all danger.

Cyril of Jerusalem

Cyril of Jerusalem (315–386 A.D.) taught about the power of the sign of the Cross over demons:

Many have been crucified throughout the world, but by none of these are the devils scared; but when they see even the Sign of the Cross of Christ, who was crucified for us, they shudder. For those men died for their own sins, but Christ for the sins of others; for He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth . . . For others only hear, but we both see and handle. Let none be weary; take your armour against the adversaries in the cause of the Cross itself; set up the faith of the Cross as a trophy against the gainsayers. For when you are going to dispute with unbelievers concerning the Cross of Christ, first make with your hand the sign of Christ’s Cross, and the gainsayer will be silenced. Be not ashamed to confess the Cross; for Angels glory in it, saying, We know whom you seek, Jesus the Crucified. (Matthew 28:5). Might you not say, O Angel, I know whom you seek, my Master? But, I, he says with boldness, I know the Crucified. For the Cross is a Crown, not a dishonour.  Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow, and on everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we rise up; when we are in the way, and when we are still. Great is that preservative; it is without price, for the sake of the poor; without toil, for the sick; since also its grace is from God. It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of devils: for He triumphed over them in it, having made a show of them openly (Colossians 2:15); for when they see the Cross they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, who bruised the heads of the dragon. (Catechetical Lecture 13, Cyril of Jerusalem).

In Hoc Signo Vinces

The Roman Empire had been divided into two separate parts. A young general, Constantine, son of one of the co-emperors, was approaching a battle that was, most probably, going to be the final battle that would decide which of the two co-emperors triumphed. In this battle in 312 A.D., he and his men were facing a larger army of battle-hardened soldiers with experienced leadership. At this time Constantine was a pagan.

Before the battle, this pagan soldier prayed to whoever was the true God, that he would “reveal to him who he is, and stretch forth his right hand to help him.”

Then Constantine beheld a brilliant Cross in the sky with the inscription: “In hoc signo vinces” — “In this Sign Conquer.” Following this vision, he had his men place crosses on their shields. His men were victorious.

At this time, and since the reign of the emperor Nero, Catholics had been persecuted and martyred for their faith. When he became the sole emperor, Constantine changed all this. He ordered that the Christian religion was to be tolerated from then on in the same way that the Romans had allowed other religions across the empire. He himself was baptized on his death bed, signed with that same Cross he saw in the sky all those years before.

Normandy –  D-Day

In 2018 a woman was walking on what had been designated as “Omaha Beach,” one of the five beaches where Allied soldiers came ashore in northern France for the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944.

For good reason, this beach, on which mostly American soldiers landed,  was nicknamed “Bloody Omaha.” Most of the 13,000 bombs dropped on and inland from Omaha Beach before the landings missed their targets. During the beginning of the landings of troops and equipment, amphibious tanks were launched too early and many of their flotation devices failed. The rate of casualties in the first hours was enormous. In the initial landings, the first waves of soldiers were massacred by the Germans. Men who were wounded, but not killed, were left in the water to drown. 2,400 men died. By nightfall over 4,700 men were killed, wounded or missing on Omaha.

Walking along, the woman met an older man who told her he had been a German soldier stationed there on that day. The German 352nd Division lost 20 percent of its strength, with 1,200 casualties, but somehow he had survived, He remembered that he had fired all the ammunition he had except for one bullet. He told the woman that he had thought to himself, “This is the end.”  When a U.S. soldier came at him, he shot that last bullet, hitting the man.

He told the lady that the soldier took off his helmet, fell to his knees, made the sign of the Cross, and died. “It was at that moment,” he said, “that I realized Hitler was not God.”

Somehow he was not killed on D-Day and survived the war. He had come back all these years later to honor the man who, with the sign of the Cross, had changed his life forever.

Satan and the Devils

In our time, Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, the demons, devils and diabolical spirits seek to have those in power around the world enact laws, ordinances,  and regulations to achieve their stated goals. Outlawing religion, or regulating religion to the point that it is, in effect, outlawed, is one of the ways in which the demons are successful.

Often this is done by totalitarian regimes under the guise of promoting an alleged right to murder a child, including in some cases a child just born who is alive outside a mother’s womb;  in making “health care” available; in providing “medical services” to patients without “distress;” or for protecting patients and members of the public from “hate crimes.” The legislating and regulating prohibit or inhibit both free speech and the free public exercise of religion – including rituals, prayers, and actions of a religious nature.

The history of totalitarian regimes across the world proves that this one aspect of their rule shows that  – acting overtly, covertly, explicitly, implicitly, wittingly or unwittingly – they are in league with the devils or are their instruments for bringing evil to the world.

The plethora of examples from human history includes the specific instance described in detail below by some totalitarian power elites in Bournemouth, England, UK and:  the actions of communists in Russia after 1917;  National Socialists Germany in the ‘30s and ‘40s; the communist Chinese from the time of Mao Tse Tung to the present day; the present tyranny in North Korea; socialists in present-day Venezuela; communists in Cuba; and  – to some extent – efforts by today’s democrats in America and those who support them.

The demons, and some of their earthly human minions, are fully aware of the power – power beyond their reach, power which they know they do not have – of public witness.  Praying at an abortion business witnesses to the love of God for every mother, every father, and every baby who is being carried warm and happy in his mother’s womb into an abortion business.  It is well known that, even if those praying are unaware of the effects of their prayers, again and again, God can and does use them and their public witness to send His grace, His very life, to a mother who intends to enter one of these diabolical businesses to murder her baby, His baby.  (For example, see the stories of some people praying who found out only later that their presence and prayers had saved mothers and their children – https://catholicstand.com/you-will-never-fail-praying-at-an-abortion-business/).

Satan and his Minions in Bournemouth, England

Last October, a majority of councillors of the Council of Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole in southern England defined a “safe zone” around an abortion business and issued a “Public Spaces Protection Order.”  No doubt Satan was chuckling at the use of the words “safe” and “protection” for a place where babies are killed. If any person makes the sign of the Cross (or recites passages from the bible, prays, or sprinkles holy water) within the “safe” area they can be fined £100 (about $127) and be convicted in a magistrate court trial.

Without a doubt, this “protection order” will result in more baby murders at this abortion business.  More abortions in Bournemouth mean fewer Englishmen and Englishwomen; fewer English children to play at Bournemouth’s playgrounds; and fewer laughs, hugs, smiles and “I love you’s” for Bournemouth’s Grandmothers and Grandfathers – all of which is totally in line with Satan’s plans.

The list of places most dangerous for Christians is now a list, not of ten, but of eleven:

Afghanistan
North Korea
Somalia
Libya
Yemen
Eritrea
Nigeria
Pakistan
Iran
India
“Safe Zones,” Bournemouth, England.

The Jerusalem Council Tries To Silence The Apostles

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter and the apostles were publicly preaching in Jerusalem. They too were ordered by a “council” not to speak the name of Jesus publicly or to do things in His name:

The Apostles Before the Council

Now when the officer of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were in doubt concerning them, what would come to pass. But one came and told them: Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people. Then went the officer with the ministers and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, Saying: Commanding, we commanded you that you should not teach in this name. And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine: and you have a mind to bring the blood of this man upon us. But Peter and the apostles answering, said: We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom you put to death, hanging him upon a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be Prince and Saviour. to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins. And we are witnesses of these things: and the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to all that obey him. . . . ,And calling in the apostles, after they had scourged them, they charged them that they should not speak at all in the name of Jesus. And they dismissed them. And they indeed went from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus. And every day they ceased not, in the temple and from house to house, to teach and preach Christ Jesus. (Acts 5: 25-32; 40-42; emphasis added).

Jesus has told those who witness to Him  not to fear those who try to silence them, stifle them, or shut down their public witness:

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. . . “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. . . .

But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. . . . “So do not be afraid of them,  . . . What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10: 10, 16, 19, 26-28).

That Jewish nation, including the “council” that ordered Peter and the apostles to be silent regarding Jesus, as well as the entire Roman empire which for centuries persecuted and executed those who made the sign of the Cross, are no more. And so it will be in England and all over the world – in this sign,  His Cross, Jesus and His faithful will conquer.