Holy Water

[StColette]

[b]Holy Water[/b]

Protestants argue that holy water is unbiblical and is nothing more than something the Catholic Church made up.

[quote]16. Holy water, mixed with a pinch of salt and blessed by a priest. (850) [/quote]

This argument is concluding that the use of holy water was not used by anyone formally before the year 850. This conclusion is entirely false. There is evidence even within the Bible that gives proof that holy water was used even as far back as the Old Testament. Though the water is never referred to as "holy water" as it's title is given today it however serves as the same sacramental use as it did then.

[b]Holy Water in the Old Testament[/b]

[b]Ex. 29:4[/b]

4 Aaron and his sons you shall also bring to the entrance of the meeting tent, and there wash them with water.

[b]Lev. 8:6 [/b]

6 Bringing forward Aaron and his sons, he first washed them with water.

[b]Ex. 30:18-21[/b]

18 "For ablutions you shall make a bronze laver with a bronze base. Place it between the meeting tent and the altar, and put water in it.
19 Aaron and his sons shall use it in washing their hands and feet.
20 When they are about to enter the meeting tent, they must wash with water, lest they die. Likewise when they approach the altar in their ministry, to offer an oblation to the LORD,
21 they must wash their hands and feet, lest they die. This shall be a perpetual ordinance for him and his descendants throughout their generations."

The Catholic Church still upholds this practice that is introduced in these verses. During the Consecration of the Eucharist the Priest purifies his hands before offering the sacrafice to God, just as they did in the Old Testament. God instituted this "cleansing" in the Old Testament for his priest of that time. The catholic Church carries on this requirement that God put forth. Just as the Priest prufies himself during the Consecration as do the laity upon entering the Church. Holy water fonts are found at the entrances of the Church. When one blesses themself with holy water it serves as a remission of venial sins, thus we are able to receive Christ in the Eucharist with the purest of souls.

[b]Num. 5:17 [/b]

17 4 In an earthen vessel he shall meanwhile put some holy water, as well as some dust that he has taken from the floor of the Dwelling.

4 [17] Holy water: water from the laver that stood in the court of the Dwelling.

[b]Num. 8:7 [/b]

7 2 This is what you shall do to them to purify them. Sprinkle them with the water of remission; then have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.

2 [7] Water of remission: literally, "water of sin," that is, for the remission of sin.

[b]Num 8:21[/b]

21 3 When the Levites had cleansed themselves of sin and washed their clothes, Aaron offered them as a wave offering before the LORD, and made atonement for them to purify them.

3 [21] Cleansed themselves of sin: by having the "water of remission" sprinkled on them as prescribed in Numbers 8:7.

Through this holy water or "water of remission" meaning for the remission of sins God grants His graces to be received through this water.

[b]Psalm 50:9[/b]

9 Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow. ( DRV )

9 Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure; wash me, make me whiter than snow. ( NAB )

[9] Hyssop: a small bush whose many woody twigs make a natural sprinkler. It was prescribed in the Mosaic law as an instrument for sprinkling sacrificial blood or lustral water for cleansing. Cf Exodus 12:22; Lev 14:4; Numbers 19:18.

[b]Ex 12:22[/b]

22 Then take a bunch of hyssop, and dipping it in the blood that is in the basin, sprinkle the lintel and the two doorposts with this blood. But none of you shall go outdoors until morning.

[22] Hyssop: a plant with many woody branchlets that made a convenient sprinkler.

[b]Lev 14:4,5[/b]

4 1 he shall order the man who is to be purified, to get two live, clean birds, as well as some cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop.

[4] Scarlet yarn: probably used for tying the hyssop sprig to the cedar branchlet.

[b]Nm 19:18[/b]

18 Then a man who is clean shall take some hyssop, dip it in this water, and sprinkle it on the tent and on all the vessels and persons that were in it, or on him who touched a bone, a slain person or other dead body, or a grave.

This practice of sprinkling holy water over the people is still carried out by the Catholic Church today. The ceremony of sprinkling holy water, with the use of a hyssop, over the altar, clergy, and people of the congregation is called the asperges.

[b]1 Kings 7:38-39[/b]

38 Ten bronze basins were then made, each four cubits in diameter with a capacity of forty measures, one basin for the top of each of the ten stands.
39 The stands were placed, five on the south side of the temple and five on the north. The sea was placed off to the southeast from the south side of the temple.

In King Solomon's temple there were basins of holy water. Just as this holy water was found within Solomon's temple so also is it found within Catholic Churches.

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[b]Holy Water in the New Testament[/b]

[b]Mark 1:8-10[/b]

8 5 I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit."
9 It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
10 On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.

The day of Christ's baptism is knowns as the Theophany and it holds a special relationship to the use of holy water. A 4th Century saint showed support of the fact that the use of holy water is very important in the life of a Christian. St. John Chrysostom (347-407) said once on the Theophany " On this day Christ was baptized; through His baptism He sanctified the element of water. There let us all draw of the water, and store it in homes, because on this day the water is consecrated."

[b]John 13:4-10 [/b]

4 he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist.
5 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Master, are you going to wash my feet?"
7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later."
8 Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me."
9 Simon Peter said to him, "Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well."
10 Jesus said to him, "Whoever has bathed 6 has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all."

5 [5] The act of washing another's feet was one that could not be required of the lowliest Jewish slave. It is an allusion to the humiliating death of the crucifixion.
6 [10] Bathed: many have suggested that this passage is a symbolic reference to baptism. The Greek root involved is used in baptismal contexts in 1 Cor 6:11; Eph 5:26; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 10:22.

In the Washing of the Feet, there is also teachings of two Sacraments: Baptism and Penance: He tells Peter "if I do not wash you, you can have no part with me" (13:8), which reminds the necessity of the regeneration in Baptism, to be born again of chapter 3… and again, he tells Peter, "whoever has taken a bath does not need to wash except the feet, for he is clean all over, and you are clean" (13:10)… the Christian is already clean all over by Baptism, but he has to clean his feet, the dirt of the way, often, every day, before any sacred celebration, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as Jesus taught in the Sermon of the Mount: "When you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Mt.5:23-24).

[url="http://biblia.com/christ/supper.htm"]http://biblia.com/christ/supper.htm[/url]

[b]John 19:34 [/b]

34 15 but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

15 [34-35] John probably emphasizes these verses to show the reality of Jesus' death, against the Docetist heretics. In the blood and water there may also be a symbolic reference to the Eucharist and to baptism

Holy water is used in the Catholic Church as a remission of sins (venial) and a reminder of our baptism. The use of holy water in the rememberance of baptism was not created by the Catholic Church, in fact, it has biblical bases. In the Gospel of John we find two accounts of the evidence of the special nature of holy water. When Christ washed the feet of the Apostles is a symbolic reference to baptism and it also make cross reference to the use of holy water in the Old Testament in which a priest would purify himself before making a sacrifice to God. Just as the priests of the Old Testament purified themselves before sacrificing to God so do the Priests of the Catholic Church during the concecration of the Eucharist. Another instance found in John in which holy water reminds of us of our baptism is at the crucifixion. When the soldier pierced the heart of Jesus water and blood flowed forth. It is stated in the footnotes of the NAB that this instance of blood and water are a reminder of both the Eucharist and to baptism.

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[b]Evidence Outside the Bible[/b]

Early Christian evidence of the use of holy water can be found within the "Apostolic Constitutions." The reference to holy water is attributed to the Apostle St. Matthew. The date fo the "Apostolic Constitution" is around the year 400.

Evidence outside the Bible regarding the early use of Holy Water can be found in early Christian documents and in the practices of the early Church Fathers. For example Pope St Alexander I, who was fifth in line of succession of the Papacy from Peter, established the use of holy water in the blessing of Christian homes. The time in which St. Alexander I was Pope was between the years (106-115). The evidence provided that he established the use of holy water in this manner completely refutes the argument that the use of holy water as a sacramental did not take place until 850 A.D.

In the sixth century Paulus Silentiarius, when describing the wonders of St. Sophia, about A. D. 590, mentions the presence of a phiala from which "water gushes noisily into the air, issuing from a bronze pipe with a force that banishes all evils, when in the month of golden tunies [January], during the night of the Divine initiation, the people draw in vessels an incorruptible water, as no pollution reaches it, even when, having been several years removed from its source, it is enclosed in the hollow of a pitcher and kept in their houses."

The holy water font of Carthage and various marble urns preserved in museums or described by antiquarians merely have copies of a formula taken from Holy Scripture: "Take water joyfully for the voice of the Lord is upon the water"; or "Offer they prayer after washing thyself"; or, finally, "Wash not only thy face but thy iniquities."

"The Pontifical of Scrapion of Thumis, a fourth-century bishop, and likewise the "testamentum Domini", a Syriac composition dating from the fifth to the sixth century, contain a blessing of oil and water during Mass. The formula in Scrapion's Pontifical is as follows: "We bless these creatures in the Name of Jesus Christ, Thy only Son; we invoke upon this water and this oil the Name of Him Who suffered, Who was crucified, Who arose from the dead, and Who sits at the right of the Uncreated. Grant unto these creatures the power to heal; may all fevers, every evil spirit, and all maladies be put to flight by him who either drinks these beverages or is anointed with them, and may they be a remedy in the Name of Jesus Christ, Thy only Son." As early as the fourth century various writings, the authenticity of which is free from suspicion, mention the use of water sanctified either by the liturgical blessing just referred to, or by the individual blessing of some holy person."

[url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07432a.htm"]http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07432a.htm[/url]

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[b]Holy water according to the Catechism[/b]

Holy water is a sacramental of the Catholic Church and is sadly at times taken for grated. Possibly one of the oldest sacramentals whose origin can be found as far as the Book of Exodus. To make sure everyone clearly understands what a sacramental is here are the quotes from the Catechism:

1667 "Holy Mother Church has, moreover, instituted sacramentals. These are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy."

[b]The characteristics of sacramentals [/b]

1668 Sacramentals are instituted for the sanctification of certain ministries of the Church, certain states of life, a great variety of circumstances in Christian life, and the use of many things helpful to man. In accordance with bishops' pastoral decisions, they can also respond to the needs, culture, and special history of the Christian people of a particular region or time. They always include a prayer, often accompanied by a specific sign, such as the laying on of hands, the sign of the cross, or the sprinkling of holy water (which recalls Baptism).

1669 Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a "blessing," and to bless.[172] Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry (bishops, priests, or deacons).[173]

1670 Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church's prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. "For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. From this source all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power. There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God."[174]

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[b]Signifigance of Holy Water[/b]

1. Remission of sins (venial)

2. Protection from evil

3. Rememberance of our baptism

1. The repentance of sin symbolized in the washing with water is reflected in Psalm 50: "Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. Cleanse me of sin with hyssop that I may be purified; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (3-4, 9). (Hyssop is a small bush used for sprinkling water). Remember too how St. John the Baptizer called all to conversion and used a ritual washing of water to signify the repentance of sin and purification.

[url="http://www.catholicherald.com/saunders/04ws/ws040520.htm"]http://www.catholicherald.com/saunders/04ws/ws040520.htm[/url]

2. Satan and his demons can not stand anything that is holy or blessed by God. Holy water clearly falls into this description. Many Saints have testified to the awesome protestion whihc holy water prodes. St. Teresa of Avila says the following regarding holy water:

"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. They 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. In fact, it is quite usual for me to be conscious of a refreshment which I cannot possibly describe, resembling an inward joy which comforts my whole soul. This is not fancy, or something which has happened to me only once it has happened again and again and I have observed it most attentively. It is let us say, as if someone very hot and thirsty were to drink from a jug of cold water: he would feel the refreshment throughout his body. I often reflect on the great importance of everything ordained by the Church and it makes me very happy to find that those words of the Church are so powerful that they impart their power to the water and make it so very different from water which has not been blessed."

"One night, too, about this time, I thought the devils were stifling me; and when the nuns had sprinkled a great deal of holy water about I saw a huge crowd of them running away as quickly as though they were about to fling themselves down a steep place."

"I will only describe something that happened to me one night of All Souls. I was in an oratory: I had said one nocturn and was repeating some very devotional prayers which follow it -- they are extremely devotional: we have them in our office-book -- when actually the devil himself alighted on the book, to prevent me from finishing the prayer. I made the sign of the Cross and he went away. I then began again and he came back. I think I began that prayer three times and not until I had sprinkled some holy water on him could I finish it. At the same moment I saw several souls coming out of purgatory: their time there must have been nearly up and I thought that perhaps the devil was trying to impede their deliverance."

In addition the blessing that is said over the holy water:

"Lord, God Almighty, creator of all life, of body and soul, we ask you to bless this water: as we use it in faith forgive our sins and save us from all illness and the power of evil. Lord, in your mercy give us living water, always springing up as a fountain of salvation; free us, body and soul, from every danger, and admit us to your presence in purity of heart."

3. As evident within the New Testament, holy water serves as a reminder of our baptism. The water which flowed forth from Christ's wounded side serves as a symbolic reminder that not only are we baptized into his life but also into his death. Each time we bless ourselves with holy water we are to remember that we have given our lives to God through our baptism. We are reminded of the baptismal waters which washed away our original sin. The Catholic Catechism says the following about water:

694 Water. The symbolism of water signifies the Holy Spirit's action in Baptism, since after the invocation of the Holy Spirit it becomes the efficacious sacramental sign of new birth: just as the gestation of our first birth took place in water, so the water of Baptism truly signifies that our birth into the divine life is given to us in the Holy Spirit. As "by one Spirit we were all baptized," so we are also "made to drink of one Spirit." 27 Thus the Spirit is also personally the living water welling up from Christ crucified 28 as its source and welling up in us to eternal life.

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[b]Removal of Holy Water during Lent[/b]

Is it acceptable to remove the holy water from the holy water fonts during Lent?
When this is done, the fonts are left empty, covered with cloth, or filled with sand.
Until recently, there was no directive from the Vatican regulating this practice. As in other such cases, it was left to the discernment of the local bishop whether it would be allowed. However, according to Adoremus Bulletin, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has recently addressed this question and issued a negative response (Prot. N. 569/00/L). The response was to a private party who made the text available to Adoremus. The Congregation gave two reasons for their negative response:

1. The liturgical legislation in force does not foresee this innovation, which in addition to being praeter legem [beyond the law] is contrary to a balanced understanding of the season of Lent, which though truly being a season of penance, is also a season rich in the symbolism of water and baptism, constantly evoked in liturgical texts.

2. The encouragement of the Church that the faithful avail themselves frequently of the [sic] of her sacraments and sacramentals is to be understood to apply also to the season of Lent. The "fast" and "abstinence" which the faithful embrace in this season does not extend to abstaining from the sacraments or sacramentals of the Church. The practice of the Church has been to empty the Holy Water fonts on the days of the Sacred Triduum in preparation of the blessing of the water at the Easter Vigil, and it corresponds to those days on which the Eucharist is not celebrated (i.e., Good Friday and Holy Saturday).

[url="http://www.lospequenos.org/ResearchMaterial/HolyWaterFont.htm"]http://www.lospequenos.org/ResearchMateria...lyWaterFont.htm[/url]

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[b]Why is salt added to the holy water ?[/b]

In reference to salt being added to the holy water, it once again has reference to the Jewish custom and the symbolic meaning of salt.

Why does the Church use salt in holy water? Because it was a Jewish custom, and because of the symbolical meaning of salt. Just as water is used for cleansing and for quenching fire, so salt is used to preserve from decay. Therefore the Church combines them in this sacramental, to express the various reasons why it is used -- to help to wash away the stains of sin, to quench the fire of our passions, to preserve us from relapses into sin. Moreover, salt is regarded as a symbol of wisdom. Our Lord called His Apostles "the salt of the earth," because by them the knowledge of the Gospel was to be spread over the world. The custom of using salt is a very ancient one, and is traced by some to the second or third century. [The exorcism of salt and its blessing can be viewed at the pre-Vatican II blessing of Holy Water.]

[url="http://landru.i-link-2.net/shnyves/holy_water2.htm"]http://landru.i-link-2.net/shnyves/holy_water2.htm[/url]

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[b]Varieties of holy water[/b]

Roman Catholic rituals distinguish four different kinds of holy water. There are:

Holy water per se, of the kind found in the stoup, which has been blessed with a small amount of salt as a preservative. This is the holy water used in aspersions and blessings;

Baptismal holy water, to which a slight amount of chrism and the oil of catechumens has been added, used in church baptisms;

Gregorian water, also called "water of consecration"; small amounts of wine, salt, and ashes are added to it, and it is used by bishops at the consecration of a church; and

Easter water, which is distributed to the faithful on Easter Sunday for use at home.

[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_water"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_water[/url]

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God Bless,
Jennie

[Laudate_Dominum]

that was so neat!!!!! Thanks Jennie, I learned a lot.


God bless you miss Queen of the Apologetics Board.

[StColette]

awww ty Sean I'm glad you liked it and God Bless u too

[phatcatholic]

good job colette, i've never read a defense of holy water before!

[StColette]

ty

yeah I didn't think I was going to be able to complete it because there wasn't much info online provided.

[VeraMaria]

Wow, Jennie.

Soooo amazing

[MichaelFilo]

so much long nights put into this,

good job

God bless,

Mikey

[VeraMaria]

Also, I remembered reading something by Teresa de Avila...ok found it

"Teresa of Avila in her autobiography, The Book of Her Life, wrote of the power of holy water: "I was once in an oratory, and [the devil] appeared to me in an abominable form at my left side. Because he spoke to me, I looked particularly at his mouth — which was most frightening. It seemed that a great flame, all bright without shadow, came forth from his body. He told me in a terrifying way that I had really freed myself from his hands but that he would catch me with them again. I was struck with great fear and blessed myself as best I could; he disappeared, but returned right away. This happened to me twice. I didn’t know what to do. There was some holy water there, and I threw it in that direction; he never returned again. ... I often experience that there is nothing the devils flee from more — without returning — than holy water" (Chapter 31). "

[Laudate_Dominum]

I love that quote Vera! I was really big on holy water for a while after reading that. I should get more into it again.

[Cure of Ars]

Top notch and very interesting. Thanks

[MorphRC]

Good article.

[StColette]

Thanks yall

[franciscanheart]

i like i like.... good job
you came up with a lot!!!

[StColette]

Thanks Laura it took a while to find all that and a lot of the big sections is from me writing about it so the info on the net about Holy water is still somewhat lacking.

[franciscanheart]

of oucrse it is, the internet stinks muchos sometimes
i went to the library the other day and found lots of interesting stuff on it though
i like libraries