Holy Water . Thursday 7th February, 2013. Feast of St. Romuald, Ab

     Holy Water - A Means of Spiritual Wealth

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Holy Water is a Sacramental that remits venial sin.  Because of the blessing attached to it, Holy Church strongly urges its use by Her children especially when dangers threaten, such as fire, storms sickness and other calamities.   Every Catholic should always have a supply on hand.

    Untold spiritual wealth is concentrated in every drop of Holy Water because it is blest.

   Always have a bottle with you and bless the four wheels and steering wheel of your car daily and especially before taking a trip.

    Remember wearing your scapular and a crucifix with wood that has been blessed is also a special protection for you and each member of your family.  Pray your rosary daily and when possible wear it.  This means extra help when there is danger in a spiritual, moral or physical way.  When in danger place your hand on the blest crucifix, and then say an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.

Did we realize now, as we shall realize after death, the many benefits which may be derived from Holy Water, we would use it far more frequently, and with greater faith and reverence.

     Holy Water has its great power and efficacy from the prayers of the Church which its Divine Founder always accepts.

These are some of the petitions the priest makes to God when he blesses water.

    "O God,   ... grant that this creature of Thine (water) may be endowed with divine grace to drive away devils and to cast out diseases, that whatever in the houses or possessions of the faithful may be sprinkled by this water, may be freed from everything unclean, and delivered from what is hurtful, ... Let everything that threatens the safety or peace of the dwellers therein be banished by the sprinkling of this water, so that health which they seek by calling upon Thy Holy Name may be guarded from all assault."

                        Prayers Effective

The devil hates Holy Water because of its power over him.   He cannot long abide in a place or near a person that is often sprinkled with this blessed water.

            Are Your Dear Ones Living At A Distance?

Holy Water, sprinkled with faith and piety, can move the Sacred Heart to bless your loved ones and protect them from all harm of soul and body.   When worry and fear take possession of your heart, hasten to your Holy Water font, and give your dear ones the benefit of the Church's prayer.

                   The Holy Souls Long For It

ONLY in Purgatory can one understand how ardently a poor soul longs for Holy Water.   If we desire to make a host of Intercessors for ourselves, let us try to realize now some of their yearning, and never forget them at the Holy Water font.   The holy souls nearest to Heaven may need the sprinkling of only one drop to release their pining souls.

                       Remits Venial Sins

   Because Holy water is one of the Church's sacramentals, it remits venial sin.  Keep your soul beautifully pure in God's sight by making the sign of the cross carefully while saying,

   "By this Holy Water and by Thy Precious Blood wash away all my sins, O Lord."

                    Efficacy of Holy Water

It is the common teaching of the Church that Holy Water, when used with the proper disposition and intention, confers actual graces, remits venial sin, restrains the power of Satan and secures temporal blessings, such as bodily health and protection against danger and sickness.  It is also an efficacious means for the relief of the suffering souls in Purgatory.

      The wonderful effects for body and soul which result from using Holy Water with faith and confidence lie primarily in the blessing which is imparted to the water by the priest in the name of the Church, for the prayer of the Church, the immaculate Spouse of Christ, is always pleasing to God, and our Divine Lord readily deigns to hear the prayers addresses to Him.   Hence, whenever we take Holy Water and bless ourselves with it, or bless any other object, present or absent, the prayer of the Church which accompanied the blessing of the Holy Water, penetrates the clouds as if it were being uttered at that moment, obtains grace for soul and body, and hallows every object that is touched by the Holy Water.

Our souls are daily exposed to danger and we need grace and help in order to think, speak and labor meritoriously for God and for Heaven.   One of the easiest and most efficacious means to repel the assaults of the evil spirits is the pious use of Holy Water.   As often as we use it devoutly, our good Mother, the Church, implores for us aid, consolation and strength to do good and avoid evil.   We must, however, make ourselves worthy of God's help by living in the state of sanctifying grace, or at least we must renew this state in us by making an act of perfect contrition after we have fallen into any grievous sin.   But many persons do not think of this.   They expect God's grace to be effective in them even when in reality they are His enemies by mortal sin.   Of such, the Venerable Peter of Cluny says:  "We need not be surprised if the evil spirit is not put to flight by the sprinkling of Holy Water.   If the ailment is internal, a mere external application of salves will effect nothing."

[J. M. J. BOOK COMPANY, P.O. Box 15, Necedah, WI  54646 U.S.A. - with permission]

St. Therese Holy Water font