Holy Water ~ Catholic

Holy water is water mix salt that has been sacramentally blessed by a priest or higher religious of the Church (they are God-ordained and God-appointed shepherd of God's flock) and whoever uses it with faith in God invokes God's blessing, healing and protection. There are also natural holy water like from spring like the water of Lourdes (25 February 1858, the Virgin Mary asked St.Bernadette "Go drink at the spring and wash yourself there."), which became known and famousdue to the miracles link it. In the Catholic faith, God heals through the natural elements and the sacraments, with the help of the Virgin Mary and the prayer of the Christians.

Holy water is used during baptism, spiritual cleansing, healing, blessing, healing and a sacramental for protection against evil. Normally before Mass, Catholics on entry to the church, dip their fingertips into the water and make the Sign of the Cross to bless themselves which serve as a reminder of their baptism. In some Churhes, the ceremony of sprinkling the faithful with holy water takes place during every holy Mass. Christians especially Catholics do not believe the water is in any way magical, but the power comes from the blessing, not the water itself.

Holy water is composed of two elements, water and salt. A priest or higher religious of the Church converts both into a mediation of divine grace, the evil spirits are exorcised so that the water may be efficacious in warding off their evil influence, and it is consecrated so that it may become a mediator of divine grace. The Church gives the priest unlimited power and authority to consecrate or bless physical things for use in the Kingdom of God and in invoking the Holy Spirit to manifest His presence in those items ie holy water for the use of the faithful, and Catholics should take holy water to their homes and keep it for use.

In Numbers 5:17, the scripture say the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. 

In Ezekiel 36:25-29, I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you.

In Ephesians 5:25-27 show the purifying effects of water, husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

In John 7:37-39, Jesus speaks of Living Water available to those who believe in Him. The water symbolized the Holy Spirit. Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as[a] the scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Salt is used both literally and figuratively throughout the Old and New Testaments as a purifying agent, cleansing the unclean and driving out evil spirits. In 2 Kings 2:21-22, Elisha purified the water with salt, Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.

Demons, and evil spirits who roam the earth seeking to destroy mankind are afraid of water because they had been destroyed by it once as in Matthew 8:28-32, and when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine.” And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters.

The priest, wearing a purple stole, blesses the holy water in the following manner: 

Our help in the Name of the Lord, 

Who made heaven and earth. 

[The Priest exorcises the salt]. 

I exorcise thee, creature of salt, by the living God, by the true God, by the holy God, by that God who ordered thee to be put by Eliseus the prophet into the water, that the barrenness of the water might be healed; that thou mayest become exorcised salt for the salvation of those that believe; and that thou mayest be for the healing of soul and body to all those receiving thee, and that there may be banished from the place in which thou hast been sprinkled every kind of hallucination and wickedness, or wile of devilish deceit, and every unclean spirit, adjured in the name of Him who will come to judge the living and the dead, and the world by fire. Amen. 

LET US PRAY. 

O Almighty and eternal God, we humbly implore Thine infinite mercy, that this creature of salt which Thou hast bestowed for the use of mankind may be blessed and sanctified through Thy mercy, that it may make for health of mind and body to all who partake of it; and that what ever is touched or sprinkled with it may be freed from all uncleanness, and from the assaults of the evil spirit. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee for ever and ever. Amen. 

[He then exorcises the water.] 

I exorcise thee, creature of water, in the Name of God the Father Almighty, and in the name of Jesus Christ His Son our Lord, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, that thou mayest be made exorcised water for the banishment of every power of the enemy, and that thou mayest be able to uproot and cast out that enemy himself, together with his rebel angels: by the power of the same Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who will come to judge the living and the dead, and the world by fire. Amen. 

LET US PRAY. 

O God, who for the salvation of mankind has appointed water to be the foundation of Thy greatest Sacraments, graciously hear our prayers, and fill this element, which has in manifold ways been purified, with Thy power and blessing  so that this creature of Thine, for use in Thy mysteries, 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 no spirit of pestilence or baleful breath abide therein; let all the snares of the enemy who lieth in wait be driven forth; and let everything that threatens the safety or peace of the dwellers therein be banished by the sprinkling of this water; so that the health which they seek by calling upon Thy holy Name may be guarded from all assault. Through Our Lord….. 

[The Priest puts blessed salt thrice into the water crosswise, Saying:] 

Let salt and water mingle together in the name of the Father  and of the Son , and of the HolySpirit. Amen. 

The Lord be with you. 

And with thy spirit. 

LET US PRAY. 

O God, the giver of invincible strength, and King of irresistible power, ever wonderful in triumph, who holdest in check the power of the enemy, who overcomest the fury of raging enemies, who by Thy might gainest the victory over all their guile; we humbly pray and beseech Thee, O Lord, to look upon this Thy creation of salt and water, to bless it in Thy mercy and hallow it with the dew of Thy loving kindness: that wherever it be sprinkled and Thy holy Name shall be invoked in prayer, every assault of the unclean spirit may be baffled, all fear of the venomous serpent cast out, and the presence of the Holy Spirit everywhere vouchsafed to us who entreat Thy mercy. Through Our Lord . . . in the unity of the same Holy Spirit …. 

These are the sublime prayers and ceremonies with which the Priest in obedience to the holy Church blesses the holy water for the pious use of the faithful.

“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. The also flee from the cross, but return; so holy water must have great value. For my own part, whenever I take it, my soul feels a particular and most notable consolation...... She believed that when blessing yourself with holy water. you say 'By this holy water and by thy Precious Blood wash away all my sins, O Lord.' " 

~ St.Theresa of Avila