It’s good to see children who know how to make what the pope calls their “first act of faith.”
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Some of you might remember that Pope Francis gave us some “homework” during his general audience series on the Ten Commandments. When he was talking about the holiness of God’s name, related to the 2nd Commandment, he paused for a moment to recall the importance of the Sign of the Cross.
And he told us that it was our “homework” to teach children to make the Sign of the Cross.
Well this adorable little girl sure has taken the assignment to heart. Watch how lovingly (and cheerfully!) she’s teaching her “baby” to make the Sign of the Cross!
Good job, little one! And good job to her parents!
Here’s what the pope said:
Thus, “to take the name of God upon oneself” means to assume his reality, to enter into a strong relationship, a close relationship with him. For us Christians, this Commandment is the call to remind ourselves that we were baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” as we affirm each time we make the sign of the Cross, in order to carry out our daily actions in heartfelt and true communion with God, that is, in his love.
And on this topic, making the sign of the Cross, I would like to repeat once again: teach your children to make the sign of the Cross. Have you seen how children do it? If you say to children: “make the sign of the Cross,” they do something that they do not know about. They do not know how to make the Sign of the Cross! Teach them how to do it: In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. A child’s first act of faith. This is your homework, homework to do: teach children to make the sign of the Cross.
To help you with this papal homework, check out these articles:
Why do Catholics make the Sign of the Cross before praying?
When should you make the Sign of the Cross?
Why do Eastern Christians make the Sign of the Cross “backwards”?
