HOLY WATER – BLESSED WATER – ST. PETER BASILICA – CATHOLIC GIFT

What is Holy Water?

The ritual of consecrating Holy Water traditionally is performed on Holy Saturday and during the vigil of Pentecost. Once consecrated, more ordinary water can be added to the supply of Holy Water, and the entire quantity of water remains consecrated provided that the amount added is less than the amount of water that was there. Theritual of preparing Holy Water is itself in form an exorcism; the priest first exorcises the salt, and then the water itself. It can banish demons, heal the sick, and send unwarranted grace upon us.

Holy Water is one of those beautiful gifts (and weapons) from God to keep us sanctified and holy in our daily lives, and to keep the things we regularly use sanctified and holy. Holy Water is a sacramental, “a sacred sign which bear(s) a resemblance to the sacraments.” Holy Water recalls the sacrament of baptism.

The use of Holy Water is based on the story of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist in the River Jordan and the Orthodox interpretation of this event. In this view, John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, and the people came to have their sins washed away by the water. Since Jesus Christ had no sin, but was God himself, his baptism had the effect of Jesus blessing the water, making it holy, that is used fully for its original created purpose to be an instrument of life.

How do you use Holy Water?

In church, parishioners bless themselves when entering the church by dipping their fingers in the Holy Water and making the sign of the cross.  Holy Water is also sometimes sprinkled upon the congregation during the Mass; this is called aspersion.

At home, keep your Holy Water in a container or use it to fill a wall-mounted baptismal font that you can dip your fingers in to bless yourself. There is no specific prayer to pray when using Holy Water, other than the Sign of the Cross, “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

To prevent us from using it without thinking, we should consciously find ways to use it more.  Holy Water can be used to bless people, places, and things that are used by humans in their goal of glorifying God with their lives. Again, this practice is meant to visibly represent God’s sanctifying work in all parts of the people’s lives.

Bless the Sick

If you know of any sick friends or family, then blessing them with Holy Water probably counts as a corporeal and a spiritual work of mercy.  If you visit the sick in a hospital or nursing home, bless their living space with Holy Water and leave a Holy Water bottle with them as a comfort in their time of need.

Bless Your Family

Use Holy Water to pray and make the Sign of the Cross over your spouse and children before they go to sleep at night. Bonding the family to each other and to God in this way is a great family tradition to adopt. Keep a Holy Water bottle by the bedside for this purpose.

Bless Your House

Your home is the domestic Church and is in need of spiritual protection.  Where can I Buy Holy Water You can sprinkle Holy Water in your home yourself, or have a priest formally bless your home using Holy Water as part of the house blessing ceremony.

Most Catholics cross themselves with holy water each time they enter a Catholic church. The practice of blessing ourselves with holy water is so common we might not give it a second thought. But it is an important gift the Church gives us that we would be remiss not to take advantage of. Holy water is a sacramental blessed by a priest to invoke God‘s blessing on those who use it.

The significance of water can be seen throughout sacred scripture, especially in the New Testament. Jesus tells the woman at the well that He offers water that will give eternal life. He tells Nicodemus that no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and spirit. When Jesus’ side is pierced on the cross, blood and water flow forth. These are just a few examples of the life-giving and purifying aspects of water.

Our first encounter with holy water is at our baptism when we are symbolically buried with Christ and then raised up, cleansed from original sin. Each time we dip our fingers into a font of holy water, we should recall and reaffirm our baptismal promises. Holy water is a sacramental or “sacred sign” that can help orient ourselves to God and open our hearts to grace.

8 Ways to Use Holy Water | Good Catholic™

Prayers of exorcism are also included in the prayers used to bless holy water. This is why holy water is an especially helpful weapon in our battle against Satan and his empty promises. We should be aware, though, that holy water is not a magical potion that automatically protects us from evil. Buy Holy Water online  As with all sacramentals, holy water is meant to remind us of our calling, to orient our hearts and minds to God, and to increase our trust in God’s grace which he provides through his Church. https://www.fiverr.com/siennahoddle

The use of holy water and making a sign of the cross when entering a church reflects a renewal of our baptismal promises, a cleansing of venial sin and is part of our spiritual armor against Satan and evil.

 

Sienna Hoddle

Sienna Hoddle is a passionate writer covering a wide range of topics including Health and Fitness.

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