‘Those who do not believe in the trinity do not understand who God is’
Rev. Fr. Anthony Okeke, Parish Priest of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Onireke, Satellite Town, Lagos and Chaplain, Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria (CCRN), Satellite Deanery, Lagos Archdiocese has said the Sign of the Cross is not a merely a pious gesture but a profession of faith in God as He revealed Himself. According to him, it serves as the abbreviated form of the Apostolic Creed. Fr. Okeke stated this in an exclusive interview with The Catholic Herald weekly newspaper in commemoration of the Feast of the Holy Trinity. He said that by tracing the Sign of the Cross on our bodies we are denying that we belong to our selves but to God alone.
The cleric described the Sign of Cross as a mini-creed; a renewal of baptism; a mark of discipline; an acceptance of suffering and a two-edged move against the devil. The Parish Priest explained, “The Sign of the Cross is a profession of faith in God as He has revealed himself. It serves as an abbreviated form of the Apostles’ Creed. “When we sign ourselves we are making ourselves aware of God’s presence and opening ourselves to His action in our lives. “First-century Christians began making the Sign of the Cross as a reminder and renewal of what happened to them when they were baptised. It still works the same way for us. “When we sign ourselves, we are declaring that in baptism we died sacramentally with Christ on the cross and rose to a new life with Him (Rom 6:3- 4 and Gal 2:20).
We are asking the Lord to renew in us those baptismal graces. “Signing ourselves recognises that we are Christ’s sheep and can count on His care; His soldiers, commissioned to work with Him in advancing His kingdom on earth; and His servants, dedicated to doing whatever He tells us” Substantiating the significance of the cross as a shield and protection against all evil, Fr. Okeke said, “Making the sign of the Cross is a defensive move, declaring our inviolability to the devil’s influence.
But, more importantly, the sign is also an offensive weapon, helping us reclaim with Christ all that Satan lost at the cross. It announces our cooperation with Jesus in the indomitable advance of the kingdom of God against the kingdom of darkness.” throwing more light on the Holy Trinity he admonished those who do not believe in the trinity, stressing that they do not understand who God is neither do they understand His nature (God is three Persons, each Person is divine, and there is only one God). “They also do not accept that Jesus Christ is God in human flesh,” he emphasised.
