The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"""THE TRINITY. 21father s death rather by prayer and fasting than byfeasting. Even so we abstain on Fridays from fleshmeat, that we may in a small measure testify ourpractical sympathy for our dear Lord by the mortification of our body, endeavoring, like St. Paul, tobear about in our body the mortification of Jesus,that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest inour bodies." 1The Cross is held in the highest reverence byCatholics, because it was the instrument of ourSaviour s crucifixion. It surmounts our churchesand adorns our sanctuaries. We venerate it as theemblem, of our salvation. Far be it from me," says"the Apostle, glory save in the cross of our LordJesus Christ." We 2 do not, of course, attach anyintrinsic virtue to the Cross ;this would be sinful andidolatrous. Our veneration is referred to Him whodied upon it,It isalso a very ancient and pious practice for thefaithful to make on their person the sign of theCross, saying at the same time "In the name of:the Father, and of the Sou, and of the Holy Ghost."Tertulliau, who lived in the second century of theChristian era, says: In all our actions, when wecome in or- go out, when we dress, when we wash,at our meals, before retiring to sleep,. . . we formon our foreheads the sign of the cross. These practices are not commanded by a formal law of Scripture; but tradition teaches them, custom confirms1 LL. Cor. iv. 10.a Gal. vi. 14