Drinking holy water & more QUESTION from Chuck O. September 24, 2001 Hello. I've read on a few Catholic websites about drinking holy water. Is there a real benefit to this, and if so, what? Also, as a Catholic convert, what should I use holy water on? All my possessions or religious articles only? Thank you, God Bless.
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on October 9, 2001 Dear Mr. Chuck:
Holy Water is a sacramental of the church. Sacramentals are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments; they signify effects, particularly of a spiritual kind, which are obtained through the Church's intercession. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in the life are rendered holy.
Holy Water is a symbol of our baptism; a symbol of the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon us to bring us into the Kingdom of God through the washing away of the stain of original sin; a symbol of the baptismal promises to renounce Satan and his works and pomps and to live a Christ-life.
Holy Water can and has been used in a wide variety of ways -- to bless a field and crops, to bless automobles and animals, to bless children at bedtime, to bless ourselves in the washing away of the dirt of the world as we come into a church, and to use for consemption among the sick.
You can use Holy Water on anything in which you wish to have blessed and set aside for God. I recommend that one use Holy Water to bless the doorways and all fout corners of a hotel room when you stay in a hotel. You have no idea what evil may have taken place in that room before you got there. Bless your house, and car. bless you children with Holy Water each night. Have a Holy Water font at the front and back doors and bless yourself with Holy Water and the sign of the Cross as you leave the house and as your return.
The use of Holy Water like this keeps God in the forefront of our minds, it gives us a blessing, and it gives Satan a no Tresspassing signpost.
For a more complete discussion of Holy Water see: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07432a.htm
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