Breathing with both Lungs

John Paul II said that Catholics should breathe with both lungs. He was referring to the Catholic Church and how it is made up of both east and west and we Catholics should learn about the Eastern Catholic Churches (ref. Ut Unum Sint).

The opportunity that people have is that there is a whole side of the Church that many people do not know about, and we are providing information at this time. The Institute for Eastern Christian Studies is providing people with classes and individual programming to help clergy and laypeople understand more about the whole Catholic Church (both East and West).

Constantine saw a symbol in the sky and conquered with it. He then established the "new Rome" in Constantinople and the East continued to flourish. In order for one to enjoy the "fullness" of the Catholic faith, we should strive to "breathe" with "both lungs."

The Sign of the Cross

The sign of the cross is something we do quite often as Orthodox Christians. There is a certain way to make the sign of the cross.

As instructing in this picture, we place the thumb and first two fingers together, while placing the last two fingers against the palm. This symbolizes the Trinity and the two natures of Christ (divine and human). We then touch the three fingers to our forehead, our waist, the right shoulder, and then the left shoulder. Usually a slight bow proceeds making the sign of the cross.

We cross ourselves during prayer and throughout the day. It is one way that our body can join our mind in prayer.