THINE IS THE POWER AND THE GLORY - Church of the Virgin ...

We bear His reproach, as said about the Prophet Moses,"esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than thetreasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. " (Heb. 11:26).For this reason the Church remains outside the camp, awayfrom the altar, away from the sanctuary, away from the firstChancel, the Chancel of Saints, remembering our sins that tookus outside the camp like Adam when sent forth from the gardenof Eden. We follow the Lord outside the Camp saying, "Youare righteous, we are evil, we deserve the curse and banishment,but You, Thine is the Blessing forever Amen, my Lord JesusChrist, the Good Saviour.While the Jews see in the Cross of the Lord Christ a symbol ofshame and humiliation, we say to Him: To You and to Yourcross is the blessing. With Your Cross we are blessed ineverything. The priests, with the sign of the Cross, bless theCongregation, and with the sign of the Cross, the consecrationand sanctification are completed.With the sign of the Cross in the baptistery, we obtain theblessing of the new birth and each member of our body isblessed and sanctified with the sign of the Cross in thesacrament of the Holy Chrism. Besides, all the Holy sacramentsof Eucharist, Priesthood and the other sacraments of the Churchare completed with the sign of the Cross by which we obtaingrace, blessing and gifts. So, we cry out from all our hearts,"Thine is the Blessing........We cross our food before we start eating and ourselves beforewe go to sleep and with this sign we become blessed ineverything. We look at the blessings of the Cross and say to the52