Posted on 05/23/2014 4:49:59 AM PDT by NYer
Q: A Protestant friend came with me to Mass last Sunday and asked about the Holy Water fonts and why we make the sign of the cross with it when we enter and leave the Church. What answer would you give to her?
Traditionally, we have placed fonts of holy water near the entrances of our churches. This placement and usage corresponds actually to Old Testament Jewish practices of purification: The Book of Leviticus prescribed various ritual purifications using water to remove the “uncleanness” associated, for instance, with coming into contact with a dead body, menstruation, childbirth, or leprosy (cf. Lv 12-15). A person also purified himself with water before entering the Temple precincts, offering prayer and sacrifice, and eating. For this reason, in the Courtyard of the Priests (the area before the actual Temple building) was the Laver, an immense bronze basin filled with water. Here the priests purified their hands and feet before offering sacrifices at the nearby altar, bathed before entering the Temple itself, and also drew water for other purifications prescribed in Jewish rituals. Interestingly, the Qumran community, located near the Dead Sea and responsible for producing the Dead Sea scrolls, also had purification pools for the cleansing not only of external “uncleanness” but also of sin.
We too have fonts filled with holy water for blessings for three reasons: as a sign of repentance of sin, for protection from evil, and as a reminder of our Baptism. The repentance of sin symbolized in the washing with water is reflected in Psalm 50: “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. Cleanse me of sin with hyssop that I may be purified; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (3-4, 9). (Hyssop is a small bush used for sprinkling water). Remember too how St. John the Baptizer called all to conversion and used a ritual washing of water to signify the repentance of sin and purification.
These actions have been incorporated into our own Mass. In the Penitential Rite, one of the options is the Asperges, which includes the Rite of Blessing and Sprinkling with holy water. As the priest passes through the congregation sprinkling them with the holy water, they customarily chant the Asperges Me, which is based on Psalm 50. In all these actions, each person again makes an act of repentance of sin.
Second, the holy water protects us against evil. In the prayer of blessing of water in the Sacramentary, we read: “Lord, God Almighty, creator of all life, of body and soul, we ask you to bless this water: as we use it in faith forgive our sins and save us from all illness and the power of evil. Lord, in your mercy give us living water, always springing up as a fountain of salvation; free us, body and soul, from every danger, and admit us to your presence in purity of heart.”
Finally, holy water reminds us of our Baptism, when by the invocation of the Holy Trinity and the pouring of holy water, we were set free from original sin and all sin, infused with sanctifying grace, incorporated into the Church, and given the title Son or Daughter of God. In making the sign of the cross with the holy water, we are mindful that we are called to renew those baptismal promises of rejecting Satan, all His works, and all his empty promises, and to profess our credal faith. Once again, we repent of sin, so that we can offer our prayers and worship to God with pure and contrite hearts. Just as water and blood flowed from the Sacred Heart of our Lord as He hung upon the cross — signifying the great sacraments of baptism and holy Eucharist — the taking of holy water and making the sign of the cross remind us of our baptism in preparation for the reception of the holy Eucharist.
Never should we doubt the power of this great sacramental. St. Teresa of Avila in her autobiography, The Book of Her Life, wrote of the power of holy water: “I was once in an oratory, and [the devil] appeared to me in an abominable form at my left side. Because he spoke to me, I looked particularly at his mouth — which was most frightening. It seemed that a great flame, all bright without shadow, came forth from his body. He told me in a terrifying way that I had really freed myself from his hands but that he would catch me with them again. I was struck with great fear and blessed myself as best I could; he disappeared, but returned right away. This happened to me twice. I didn’t know what to do. There was some holy water there, and I threw it in that direction; he never returned again. … I often experience that there is nothing the devils flee from more — without returning — than holy water” (Chapter 31). Upon the testimony of such a great saint, we see the importance not only of pausing to bless ourselves with holy water as we enter and leave church but also of having holy water available in our homes.
Ping!
If a fly lands in Holy water, is the water contaminated or is the fly sanctified?
I like Father Saunders. His RCIA classes are online.
Depends on what faith the fly is
Depends on what faith the fly is
My guess would be neither. The poor fly doesn't defile nor does it get blessed. Being a fly it's incapable of both.
I have never understood the idea of blessing ourselves with Holy Water on exiting the Church after receiving the Eucharist. sure we can all use an extra blessing, but you have just received the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord.
Kind of the same argument of putting our kids in public schools in order to “shine the light”.
However, if you put on a white glove and stick your hand in a mud puddle - the puddle doesn’t get cleaner...
As for the Why Holy Water question - you have to have something to put in your squirt guns to fight vampires, don’t you?
Vidi Aquam
I saw water coming forth from the temple
on the right side, alleluia:
and all those to whom this water came
were saved, and shall say, alleluia, alleluia.
Words fail me ...
Well, no they don't ...
Jude 10 But these men revile the things which they do not understand;
The Old Testament refers to Holy Water as well ... Numbers 5:17 - “And he shall take holy water in an earthern vessel...”
Holy water has been around since Moses.
The Protestant is likely to shoot back that by that logic, Catholics should not be eating pork either.
Because Holy Jell-O can leave a stain.
If ... the basis for the (explanation for the) use of holy water and founts is the OT practice(s) of cleansing, why then would it be explained as, “... a sign of repentance of sin, for protection from evil, and as a reminder of our Baptism.”,.. none of which have anything to do with cleansing ?
The Biblical Roots of the Sign of the Cross
St. Francis de Sales: How to make the Sign of the Cross [Ecumenical]
The Sign of the Cross [Catholic and Orthodox Caucus]
The Sign Of The Cross [Catholic Caucus]
Sign of the Cross, Sign of All Time (User's Guide to Sunday)
Cross, Sign Of
The Sign of the Cross
In the Name of the Father . . .[The Sign of the Cross]
The Sign of the Cross
The sign of the cross capable of killing microbes
I got some great spiritual use out of a holy water bottle, even if it didn’t have holy water in it.
A group of goth kids had fallen under the sway of an older teen with aspersions of being a Satanist and a sort-of vampire wannabee. And he kept goading them to do bad things to themselves and others, which I found to be annoying and distasteful.
At one point, I decided to put a kink in his hose, so I showed his followers the small plastic bottle labeled “Holy Water” and gave a background that it had been blessed by a strong young Priest, and how it was good at dispelling evil.
Well, the blowhard took this as a challenge, so said that the evil of his Satanic lord was stronger than holy water, and yada yada. Basically inviting me to splash him with it.
So I did.
He even acted like it hurt for a second or two before boldly showing his followers that he was undamaged, and laughing.
And then the capsicum oil kicked in.
As an old country fellow once observed, “It smorts!”
Well, after about 10 seconds of agony, he ran off into the nigh, screaming, leaving his followers wondering what the heck they just saw.
Hopefully they might have learned a lesson about good v. evil. For his part, I bet he got a *devilish* rash.
Great story!
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