Holy Water should not just be exclusively kept in the church. We can actually take a bottle with us and find different uses for it. Here are 10 ways that you can use Holy Water to sanctify different aspects of our lives:
Many Catholics own statues, prayer booklets and rosaries and use these in their daily life. We can bring these items to the church so that the priest can bless them. This is a meaningful way of honoring the things we use in our spiritual lives and to be able to bring home something that has been blessed by the church.
The priest usually blesses the attendees of mass during the beginning and end of mass. This tradition is an important reminder that even when we leave the church at the end of mass, we are still the blessed children of God and must act in His service.
Buying a new house or moving to a new home is an event worth celebrating and many Catholics mark this occasion by hosting a house blessing. This is a good way for the priest to bring positivity and peace into the new living quarters. At the same time, this gives the homeowners the opportunity to give thanks to the Lord for the gift of a new house.
We can have our workplace blessed for the same reason that we have our homes blessed. We want to give it spiritual protection so that it becomes a place of positivity and peace. Our office is a place where we can bring glory to God through our work so it is understandable that we want it to be blessed as well.
Our pets are part of our family and they are part of God’s creation. It is common for some Catholics to have their pets blessed once a year, particularly during the Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, animal-lovers and veterinarians. Some local churches also hosts a baptism ceremony where pet owners can bring their pets to be blessed.
St. Teresa of Avila said it herself, “From long experience I have learned that there is nothing like holy water to put devils to flight and prevent them from coming back again.” Holy Water has long been considered a weapon against evil spirits and demons. Priests use it during exorcism rites and to drive away evil from people and from homes.
As a sacramental, this water is meant to inspire faithfulness in us. Whenever we dip our fingers in the water basins at our churches, we should not just do so out of blind devotion. Let us be mindful of our sins and sincerely repent. Holy water is a wonderful reminder of Jesus’s power to cleanse us of our sins and make us pure again.
Holy water is a wonderful reminder of Jesus’s power to cleanse us of our sins and make us pure again 8. Prepare us to receive the sacraments
Holy Water prepares us to receive the sacraments by calling to mind the day we were baptized. Our baptism is a very important day in our lives as Catholics because it symbolizes our spiritual rebirth. Our old self died as we were immersed in the water and when we were raised out of the water, we were reborn in Christ.
Holy Water is well believed with the Faithful to have healing power. If you have friends or family suffering from any aches and illnesses, bless them with a bottle of Holy Water which they could use in the comforts of their own homes.