Why do they wave their hands in front of their face?

About ten years ago, more like 12, I had just been hired with the Company I work for today.  As I got off the bus to go to my first project, I saw three fellows, one waving his hands in front of his face and making all kinds of sarcastic remarks.  I was curious to hear what he was saying, because I suspected he was making fun of Catholics and the Sign of the Cross.

I was right.  Two of my fellow employees, Catholics, had been accosted by an Evangelical and were being subjected to a tirade against "mindless" Catholic rituals.  As I approached, I innocently asked what they were talking about.  The Evangelical responded, "I was telling these guys about those @#$$ Catholics, with their mindless rituals."  I said, "I'm a Catholic, to which rituals do you refer?"

He was a bit surprised, but he gathered himself and waved his hands in front of his face again, then he said, "Why do they dip their hands in water and then wet their faces?   And why do they drop to the ground before they sit down in a pew?  And..."   I interrupted him, "Whoa, let's take things one at a time.  Those two questions are easy.  First, we dip our hands in Holy Water and make the sign of the Cross on our face and shoulders because we remember our Baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  We "genuflect", that means touch our knee to the ground, and we kneel to pray when we go before the Altar because we want to be humble before God.  Scripture says, "he who exalts himself will be humbled, he who humbles himself will be exalted.  Therefore, we humble ourselves before God."

"Do you have anymore questions?"  He looked surprised, but he answered, "Yeah, why do they wave their hands in front of their face like they're swatting away flies?"  "Hm?  That's got me a bit stumped.  I've never seen any Catholic do that.  Unless you're talking about the Triple Cross which we pray  before the Gospel, is this it?" And I traced a cross with my thumb on my forehead and said, "That the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ always remain on my mind";  then I traced a cross on my lips and said and continued, "and on my lips"; then I traced a cross on my heart and said, "and in my heart.  That's what we pray before we listen to the Gospel."

For some reason, he wasn't too happy that I answered his questions.  He stormed off in a huff.  I turned to the other guys and asked, "who was that guy?"  "Oh, that was your Foreman.  I guess we know who's got all the fun jobs today."  And they walked off laughing.

Thanks to God, they were wrong.  He wasn't my foreman.

See also, Sign of the Cross.

Sincerely,

De Maria