By St. John Chrysostom

Yes — for through the Cross is accomplished all that is accomplished among us as Christians. When we are newborn in baptism, the Cross is there. When we are nourished with that mystical food, the Eucharist; when we are ordained; when the Church does anything else, everywhere our symbol of victory is present. For this reason, on house, and walls, and windows, and upon our forehead, and upon our mind, we carefully trace the cross.

This is the sign of the salvation accomplished for us, and of our common freedom, and of the goodness of Our Lord. He was "like a lamb led to the slaughter" (Is 53:7). So when you make the Sign of the Cross, think of the purpose of the Cross, and quench your anger and all other unholy passions.

When you make the Sign of the Cross, fill your forehead with all courage; make your soul free. And you know, for sure, what are the things that give freedom. I mean the kind of freedom that is fitting for us, the kind St. Paul taught us, having reminded us of the Cross and blood of Our Lord.

"You have been purchased at a price," he says. "Do not become slaves to human beings" (1 Cor 7:23). Consider, he says, the price that has been paid for you, and you will be a slave to no" man. That price is the Cross.

Not merely with our fingers should we engrave the Cross upon ourselves, but we should take it on ourselves by the intentions of our heart with great faith. If you have marked it on your heart as well as your forehead in this way, none of the unclean spirits will be able to stand near you. They will see the blade by which Christ received His wound the sword that gave Him His mortal stroke.

Just imagine: If we shudder when we see the place where criminals are beheaded, think what the devil must endure when he beholds the weapon by which Christ put an end to the devil's power and cut off the head of the dragon.

Don't be ashamed, then, of so great a blessing, so that Christ will not be ashamed of you when He comes with His glory, and the sign of the Cross appears before Him, more glorious than the beams of the sun (see Mt 24:30). For, indeed, the Cross comes then, uttering a voice by its appearance, and pleading with whole world for Our Lord, a sign that no prophecy about Him has failed.

This sign of the Cross has worked miracles, both in the days of our ancestors and now. The lives of the saints tell us how the sign of the Cross opened doors that were closed, neutralized poisonous drugs, took away the deadly power of hemlock, healed bites of venomous serpents. The Cross opened the gates of hell, and threw wide the archways of heaven, and made a new entrance into paradise, and cut away the nerves of the devil — so why should we be surprised to hear that it has that kind of power?

For this reason, then, engrave the Cross upon your mind, so that you will embrace the salvation of your soul. For this Cross saved and converted the world, drove away error, brought back truth, made earth heaven , fashioned men into angels. Because of the Cross, the devils are no longer terrifying, but rather worthy of scorn. Because of the Cross, death is no longer death, but to sleep. Because of the Cross, all that wars against us is cast to the ground and trodden under foot.

So if anyone says to you, "Do you actually worship someone who was crucified?" Say with a glad voice and a face lit up with joy: "Yes I worship Him, and I will never cease to worship Him!" Let us with a clear voice, as loudly as we can, cry out that the Cross is our glory, and the sum of all our blessings, and all our confidence, and all our crown.