Holy Water Miracle [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

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[Salvation]

The true nature of water has its destiny in the salvation of man and the world. The blessing of waters doesn’t “make bad water good”. It restores the water to its original state. The prayer at the blessing of water causes the revelation of the true 'nature' and 'destiny' of water, and thus of the world. By being restored through the blessing to its proper function water becomes again a means of communion with God. Christ in His baptism purified the nature of the waters. He came to redeem not only human beings but, through them, the entire material created world.

Here's water from different sources usually used by people. Take a close look at the water structure.

Tap water

Lake water

Bottled water

During the blessing of Holy Water a great miracle is performed. The Holy Spirit, coming down upon the water, changes its natural properties. It again becomes incorrupt, not spoiling, remaining transparent and fresh for a long time. This Holy Water receives the grace to heal illnesses, to drive away demons and every evil power, to preserve people and their dwellings from danger, to sanctify various objects whether for church or home use. Therefore, Orthodox Christians with reverence drink Holy Water — a great Agiasma (holy thing), as the Greeks call it.

The presence of Holy Spirit invoked through reading of special prayers totally changes the water structure itself. Here's crystals of water from the same sources (as shown above) after it was blessed.

Tap water after blessing

Lake water after blessing

Bottled water after blessing

Among Eastern Orthodox Christians, Holy Water is used frequently in rites of blessing and exorcism, and the water for baptism is always sanctified with a special blessing.

Throughout the centuries, there have been many springs of water that have been believed by members of the Orthodox Church to be miraculous. Some still flow to this day, such as the one at Pochaev Lavra in Ukraine, and the Life-Giving Spring of the Theotokos in Constantinople (commemorated annually with the blessing of Holy Water on Bright Friday).

Although Eastern Orthodox do not normally bless themselves with Holy Water upon entering a church like Catholics do, a quantity of Holy Water is typically kept in a font placed in the church, where it is available for anyone who would like to take some of it home with them. It is customary for Orthodox to drink Holy Water, to use it in cooking and to sprinkle their houses with it.

Often, when objects are blessed in the church the blessing is completed by a triple sprinkling with Holy Water using the words, "This (name of item) is blessed by the sprinkling of this Holy Water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Holy Water is often sprinkled on items or people when they are blessed outside of the church building, as part of the prayers of blessing. For instance, in Alaska, the fishing boats are sprinkled with Holy Water at the start of the fishing season as the priest prays for the crews' safety and success. Also, cars and homes are blessed with Holy Water as a way of invoking God's blessing and protection.

Orthodox Christians most often bless themselves with Holy Water by drinking it. It is traditional to keep a quantity of it at home, and many Orthodox Christians will drink a small amount daily with their morning prayers. It may also be used for informal blessings when no clergy are present. For example, parents might bless their children with Holy Water before they leave the house for school or play. It is not unusual for pious Orthodox Christians to put a little Holy Water in their food as they cook their meals. It is also often taken with prayer in times of distress or temptation.

The use of Holy Water is based on the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan, and the Orthodox interpretation of this event. In their view, John's baptism was a baptism of repentance, and the people came to have their sins washed away by the water. Since Jesus had no sin, but was God incarnate, his baptism had the effect not of washing away Jesus' sins, but of blessing the water, making it holy—and with it all of creation, so that it may be used fully for its original created purpose to be an instrument of life.

Jesus' baptism is commemorated in the Eastern Orthodox churches at the Feast of Theophany (literally "manifestation of God") on January 6 (for those Orthodox Christians who use the Julian Calendar, January 6 falls on the Gregorian Calendar date of January 19). At the Vespers of this feast, a font of Holy Water is typically blessed in the church, to provide holy water for the parish's use.

In the following weeks, the priest typically visits the homes of the members of the parish and leads prayers of blessing for their families, homes (and even pets), sprinkling them with Holy Water. Again, this practice is meant to visibly represent God's sanctifying work in all parts of the people's lives.

Every family should have Holy Water at home, and make use of it at every need: in cases of illness, leaving on a journey, whenever one is upset, students prior to examinations, etc. People who drink a little Holy Water daily, before eating any kind of food, usually do well. It strengthens the powers of our soul—if it is done with prayer and reverence, and one does not merely expect a mechanical result from it.

[Salvation]

The power of prayer.

"With God all things are possible."

For your discernment.

[Salvation]

Being Catholic: Sacred Things, [Holy] Water

[LadyDoc]

we need a “religious nonsense” ping group for stuff like this.

[surroundedbyblue]

Nonsense?? I take it you aren’t catholic, so why are you posting in this caucus thread?

[LadyDoc]

I am Catholic. I just don't think that snowflakes can form in sitting water, even if it is blessed.

how do snowflakes form

being a pious Catholic doesn't mean I leave my thinking cap behind at the office.

[rbmillerjr]

This may or not be truth...but it certainly can be true. God can do anything He wants.

[LadyDoc]

This may or not be truth...but it certainly can be true. God can do anything He wants.

I'm not questioning God, I'm questioning the one who wrote the article and made the claim.

[Salvation]

As stated above:

**For your discernment.**

Have you ever scrutinized water such as these samples under a microscope before they were blessed and after they were blessed?

If not, what are you basing your sketicism on?

[johngrace]

I remember being in 4th or 5th grade. The priest came to visit the class. He just came back from Lourdes. He brought the holy water back from the spring. He blessed us with it. When the droplets hit my skin I had new round layers of skin. Just where it landed. I never forgot it.

Yes! I do believe!

Praise Jesus and Hail Mary as the Holy Spirit gave her honor with the angel! I will not argue with the Holy Spirit! Amen!

[Salvation]

Wow! What a testimony.

[johngrace]

I remember telling my mother what a believer. I remember it like yesterday. I had a good devout mother. She had a faith that would move mountains. She use to have those faith comic books in the house too. God is good! Praise His Holy Name! Amen!

[Claud]

I’m 100% with LadyDoc on this one.

First, that first set of photos: “Take a look at the water structure.” I don’t know what that comment is getting at. Water has a very simple structure. Two H atoms around an O atom separated by 109 degrees of separation. Those photos are clearly of things on the macro level—a droplet? a microscope slide? A few crystals of water beginning to freeze? That second set of photos is clearly of snowflakes, not liquid water. Is the author saying that water freezes differently if it is blessed? Who knows.

And I can’t understand why anyone would say that the blessing transformed the nature of water into something incorrupt that does not spoil. The nature of water is already incorrupt. There is nothing in it to spoil. It’s just H2O. What spoils water is the stuff in it—algae, bacteria, etc. Remove these things and you have restored water to its original state.

I’m no theologian, but if the sacramental of Holy Water is in any way analogous to the sacrament of the Eucharist, I’d be willing to bet there is no physical change that happens in it whatsoever—beyond any extraordinary, miraculous ones that God may deign to perform in particular cases. The blessing imparts a spiritual change to the water, not a natural one.

With all due respect to the author of this article, this seems all like pious superstition.

[Claud]

And just so I’m not misconstrued...I am not denying the supernatural power of holy water. Johngrace, I don’t wish to minimize what happened to you in the least. I’m just making the point that the supernatural graces and effects can be brought out without a change in the natural properties of the thing.

Which is exactly what happens with Communion.

[Not gonna take it anymore]

Maybe the structure changes because salt is added to the water before it is blessed. Whether it is now or not, I do not know.

http://ask.yahoo.com/20030721.html

from the article:

Before the Second Vatican Council modernized Catholic rituals in the 1960s, priests added salt to make holy water. The salt was exorcised of possible evil spirits and then mixed with water during the blessing.

[johngrace]

Yes ! Good point! It does look like a snow flake comparision. I thought the same. Salvation did put for our discernment. I know your a believer. We are not idiots. It’s good to analyse. Good analogy of the real presence. Praise Jesus! Who deserves all Praise!

[Salvation]

What does a molecule of water really look like then. I have no idea.

[Claud]

Something like this:

http://www.labwater.com/images/watermolecule.jpg

It’s too small to really be photographed.