https://christianrenaissancemovement.com/2022/03/26/its-time-to-bring-holy-water-back/ It’s Time to Bring Holy Water Back It’s Time to Bring Holy Water Back March 26, 2022 Christian Renaissance Movement Eamonn Clark, STL We read in the autobiography of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque the following: “[They] thought I was possessed or obsessed by the devil, and they threw a quantity of Holy Water over me, and with the Sign of the Cross and other prayers they strove to drive away the evil spirit. But He by Whom I was possessed, far from taking flight, drew me yet more powerfully to Himself saying: ‘I love Holy Water and I have so great an affection for the Cross that I cannot refrain from uniting Myself closely with those who bear it like Me, and for the love of Me.'” There was never any scientific justification for removing holy water from churches. (Even the WHO admits that swimming will not transmit COVID.) Nor was there even much of a logical justification, granting for the sake of argument that it could be dangerous – the use of holy water to bless oneself is optional, after all. Those who don’t want to “take the risk” certainly are not required to. But it is beyond all reasonableness to claim at this point that COVID spreads in any significant way by means of contact – thus the general decline in neurotic hand-sanitizing and, yes, pew-sanitizing, is very appropriate. (Regarding sanitizing pews, what exactly was the thinking there? That everyone coughs downward, and everyone puts their hands where they are sitting? Or does the virus crawl up from the pew somehow? The imagination fails.) Some churches have been filling their stoups back up, but many have not, as if this were reasonable. By now, it is a habitual lack which people have grown accustomed to… one of the most important sacramentals which the Church possesses essentially no longer exists for many people. If a pastor really thinks he needs the “right moment,” then Easter is the time. No need even to announce it, just do it. No big fuss. Many will not even notice for a while. There will be complaints from others, but it is time to start living within the truth for the sake of the common good of the faithful. Those who are still petrified need to be tolerated patiently and slowly helped to return to a right perspective of spiritual priorities and order, but they ought not be encouraged or given preference at the expense of the multitudes. Maybe just promise to replenish it more than usual and leave it at that. Surely, the Lord does not want the Church deprived of such a useful instrument any longer.
https://epicpew.com/holy-water/ 5 Amazing Benefits of Using Holy Water Maybe you bless yourself with holy water as you walk into Church, or you remember a small container of water that was at your grandma’s house growing up. If you’re a Catholic, chances are that you’ve encountered this blessed water at some point. Father Henry Theiler recently wrote Holy Water and Its Significance for Catholics, on the origins and uses of holy water. Check it out to learn more about why the Catholic Church encourages the practice of blessing yourself, your family, home, work, and pretty much everything else with Holy Water! 1. Use holy water to drive away the devil St Teresa of Avila, the famous mystic, describes a time when she used holy water in her battle against the devil. One night in the chapel, the devil appeared at her side. He told her that although she had escaped from his clutches this time, he was sure that he would be catching her again soon. She used holy water to combat his presence. “There was some holy water there, and I threw it in that direction; he never returned again…I often experience that there is nothing that devils flee from more without returning than holy water.” 2. Use holy water to overcome temptations Maybe you bless yourself with holy water as you walk into Church, or you remember a small container of water that was at your grandma’s house growing up. If you’re a Catholic, chances are that you’ve encountered this blessed water at some point. 3. You can use holy water to drive away sickness – and future illness too! Holy water is meant to be used for the aid of those experiencing illness of the body, mind or soul. The words of blessing are “let it be to all who take it health of mind and body.” Later, the prayer asks God to deliver those who use holy water from pain and hurt. But the use of holy water doesn’t only apply to illness or pain you or a loved one may be experiencing now. You can also use it to ward off future illness and unrest. The prayer concludes: “And if there be aught which hath ill will to the safety and quietness of the inhabitants, let it flee away at the sprinkling of this water.” 4. Holy water cleanes soul from venial sins and temporal punishments Many of the Doctors of the Catholic Church say that the use of Holy Water results in the removal of our venial sins and temporal punishment. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “By the sprinkling of Holy Water the debt of venial sin is wiped out ; but not always, however, are all temporal punishments relinquished.” Aquinas goes on to explain the amount of sin and punishment removed with the use of Holy Water corresponds to one’s love and faith in God and contrition for their sins. 5. Finally, don’t forget to take advantage of those sanctifying effects found with holy water By using holy water you can obtain actual graces! These graces can help you focus in prayer, gather more graces from attending Mass, and live out your state of life and vocation more faithfully. Father Theiler says, “I do not maintain that these effects of grace must necessarily be attributed to the use of holy water, because we cannot know what and how much it has effected in us. But we do know that it can produce these effects, and we may without doubt have occasion to attribute much of our knowledge and inspiration to the use of holy water.”
Holy water is back where I am. The newsletter says from Easter Sunday on we are obliged to attend Sunday Mass
Thank God for that! I noticed the Readings at Mass this morning were all about Holy Water, which I thought was beautiful. First reading Ezekiel 47:1-9,12 © Wherever the water flows, it will bring life and health The angel brought me to the entrance of the Temple, where a stream came out from under the Temple threshold and flowed eastwards, since the Temple faced east. The water flowed from under the right side of the Temple, south of the altar. He took me out by the north gate and led me right round outside as far as the outer east gate where the water flowed out on the right-hand side. The man went to the east holding his measuring line and measured off a thousand cubits; he then made me wade across the stream; the water reached my ankles. He measured off another thousand and made me wade across the stream again; the water reached my knees. He measured off another thousand and made me wade across again; the water reached my waist. He measured off another thousand; it was now a river which I could not cross; the stream had swollen and was now deep water, a river impossible to cross. He then said, ‘Do you see, son of man?’ He took me further, then brought me back to the bank of the river. When I got back, there were many trees on each bank of the river. He said, ‘This water flows east down to the Arabah and to the sea; and flowing into the sea it makes its waters wholesome. Wherever the river flows, all living creatures teeming in it will live. Fish will be very plentiful, for wherever the water goes it brings health, and life teems wherever the river flows. Along the river, on either bank, will grow every kind of fruit tree with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails; they will bear new fruit every month, because this water comes from the sanctuary. And their fruit will be good to eat and the leaves medicinal.’ Responsorial Psalm Psalm 45(46):2-3,5-6,8-9ab © The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our stronghold. God is for us a refuge and strength, a helper close at hand, in time of distress, so we shall not fear though the earth should rock, though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea. The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our stronghold. The waters of a river give joy to God’s city, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within, it cannot be shaken; God will help it at the dawning of the day. The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our stronghold. The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Come, consider the works of the Lord, the redoubtable deeds he has done on the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us: the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Gospel Acclamation Ps50:12,14 Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! A pure heart create for me, O God, and give me again the joy of your help. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! Gospel John 5:1-3,5-16 © The healing at the pool of Bethesda There was a Jewish festival, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now at the Sheep Pool in Jerusalem there is a building, called Bethzatha in Hebrew, consisting of five porticos; and under these were crowds of sick people – blind, lame, paralysed – waiting for the water to move. One man there had an illness which had lasted thirty-eight years, and when Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had been in this condition for a long time, he said, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ ‘Sir,’ replied the sick man ‘I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is disturbed; and while I am still on the way, someone else gets there before me.’ Jesus said, ‘Get up, pick up your sleeping-mat and walk.’ The man was cured at once, and he picked up his mat and walked away. Now that day happened to be the sabbath, so the Jews said to the man who had been cured, ‘It is the sabbath; you are not allowed to carry your sleeping-mat.’ He replied, ‘But the man who cured me told me, “Pick up your mat and walk.”’ They asked, ‘Who is the man who said to you, “Pick up your mat and walk”?’ The man had no idea who it was, since Jesus had disappeared into the crowd that filled the place. After a while Jesus met him in the Temple and said, ‘Now you are well again, be sure not to sin any more, or something worse may happen to you.’ The man went back and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had cured him. It was because he did things like this on the sabbath that the Jews began to persecute Jesus.
I love watching the people at Mass. I have a very high esteem for people who attend daily Mass and love to observe them, they cheer me up. From time to time , however, I see things that trouble me, sometimes a little and sometimes a lot. For the last few years I have been watching a mother and her daughter (who I would guess is around 16 years old now). The daughter clearly adore her mother, she dresses the same as her mother, her eyes constantly are upon her and she loves to chat. Recently, especially this morning I was concerned about the girl. She no longer stands or kneels when the Congregation and her mother does. She no longer makes the spoken responses or blesses herself. She no longer attends the Eucharist. She clearly has no interest in the Mass at all and I think it is only the fact that her Mother comes that she does herself. Also although they always came together through the years, now the mother sometimes comes alone. No daughter. But those are only side things. When I look at her now it is as though a light has gone out. It is as though she sits in shadow. I don't know how else to put it, where once there was Light and innocence, it is as though someone, somewhere had switched of the Light. I think she has gone over to the Dark Side of things. Perhaps it is my imagination but when the mother looks at her I see deep concern in her face. I suspect the mother has sensed this (as only mothers can) herself. How sad life can be. Please pray for them both. Please pray for all Mothers who are concerned for the Salvation of their children. Poor women.
All things are back to normal in my diocese except the precious blood. Our priest Sunday that this may never come back. This brings a great sadness to me.
Yes, Padraig, you point out a sad example of what has become common place; a materialistic society that has no place for God. Here in the States, Confirmation has effectively become a rite of passage: Thanks Mom and Dad, you have raised me and have brought me to a place where I can now make my own choice. Well, I see this as a graduation from the Church. I will choose when it is appropriate to attend or not attend Holy Mass, when the commandments are convenient or inconvenient, because this is what my friends do. So often the decision is made to set aside the relationship with God. Was it never more than skin deep? Why? Apart from home life there was little or no reinforcement of the Faith in the culture at large. And sadly enough, the Faith was seen as a set of obligations, not a love relationship with the One who laid down his life for each one of us. We see something akin to this in Sunday's Gospel: the woman caught in adultery. The Law had become solely a tool of justice. The Pharisees were following a set of rules instituted by the Lord as revealed in the Old Testament, the Torah. These rules exhibited a level of Justice elevated above that of the nations around them. In that sense they could be seen as noble. But the Father sent his Son to reveal a Mercy that is elevated even above the Torah's justice, without denying it. Like the subject of this thread, a "holy water" elevated beyond even the fresh Salmon River aquifer from which Geralyn and I get our drinking water. Sadly, so many Catholic children and grandchildren abandon the Faith. They see it not as a love relationship, where one strives to live even beyond justice to bring joy to the Heart of one's Beloved. It is a holy love and joy, a sacrificial mercy and joy, that goes beyond happiness. Like the Holy Water graced by God which goes beyond the water we daily use, we are called to go beyond, and evangelize those whom our lives intersect, that they may come to experience the Love of Christ that brings us eternal life. 1 Peter 3: 15 But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, 16 but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame.
This Sunday's First Reading Isaiah 43:16-21 Thus says the LORD, who opens a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters, who leads out chariots and horsemen, a powerful army, till they lie prostrate together, never to rise, snuffed out and quenched like a wick. Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers. Wild beasts honor me, jackals and ostriches, for I put water in the desert and rivers in the wasteland for my chosen people to drink, the people whom I formed for myself, that they might announce my praise.
There was a very Saintly Monk who told me something about this many years ago and because I did not quite agree with him, I have remembered it and thought about it down the years and wondered if he was right and I was wrong? ( I paid considerable attention to what he said and was very sorry to disagree with him because as I said he was a very Holy, indeed Saintly priest) I would be interested to hear your opinion on what he said and if you agree or disagree with him as I still turn his words over in my mind, He said, (regarding young people loosing their Faith, 'Very often people have to desert and leave God in order to discover God and find Him'. He seemed very peaceful over the whole thing. I would love to hear what you think? (Funny I was listening to Fr Mark Goring yesterday and I think he was saying what you did. Also today's Gospel and Homily were along the same lines).
Padraig, I think the monk had a point. Left to our own devices, without God, we might hit a bottom and find God. That is partly how I came back to the Sacraments after being away during my college years.
Well yes, I can see that. But when we go to sleep at nights we have no promise we will wake up in the morning . The Father was going under the assumption that people who leave God behind have time in life to find Him again. Maybe they haven't. Even young people can die young. The second assumption is that having dumped God they might find Him again. Well they indeed may , but then again they might not. Many, many I suspect leave, never to return. The third assumption is that it does not matter if we offend God by dumping Him. We do ..and that is very much to be avoided. I don't know, the Holy Father seemed so easy going about it all that he made me uneasy. There is a fine line between Trust and Presumption.
It's risky alright. But it reminded me of Oscar Wilde And every human heart that breaks, In prison-cell or yard, Is as that broken box that gave Its treasure to the Lord, And filled the unclean leper's house With the scent of costliest nard. Ah! happy day they whose hearts can break And peace of pardon win! How else may man make straight his plan And cleanse his soul from Sin? How else but through a broken heart May Lord Christ enter in?
Well its what happened to me. But it was my mother and the Blessed Mother working together. It was nothing I did. Pure gift and totally undeserved.
An appropriate question, Padraig, for I deserted and left God, especially in my college days away from home. Granted, I went to Holy Mass most Sundays, but I was an empty shell of a Catholic, clinging ever so slightly to form, so as to not offend my parents, and going to Confession only when my guilt overflowed, but with no true contrition or desire to change my lifestyle. My curse was my cerebral palsy, bequeathed me at birth, and so I sought balm for my wounds outside the Will of God. Fortunately, as you point out, death was held at bay; in my case, it was the prayers of my parents! How do I know this? March 17, 1976: I was as drunk as one could be, but still on my feet. I was running across campus in front of the dining hall with my dormitory just ahead. In my stupor, I literally forgot that there were 12 descending, concrete steps between myself and the dormitory I lived in. I ended up going airborne, landing on my left shoulder and head, impacting the sidewalk, below. I was still breathing, no bleeding, so friends picked me up and put me on my bed in my room. The next morning, I was useless. Splitting headache; I could not lift my good left arm, my collar bone was fractured. Friends described my flight, and off I went for an assessment by a physician. I relayed the story whose details were told via a friend. The doctor informed me that if the story was true, he couldn't fathom the lack of other injuries. There was absolutely no damage to my head. No broken skin, no bruising, no concussion. Though I did not consider it then, my guardian angel must of cushioned my fall due to intercessory prayer. Life went back to "normal". The beginnings of conversion began some 16 months later. So I can confirm it can happen that way. But then, Geralyn is the opposite, faithful from beginning to end. She has had significant blessings from the Lord which have solidified her journey on the narrow way. Thanks be to God. So the question remains doubtful, though I believe most faithful Catholics, are basically faithful throughout, I think! Glory to God!
I just wanted to add, and my wife exemplifies this: women, especially mothers, bear up much better than men, I think. Through carrying their children for nine months and suffering through childbirth they have an opportunity to embrace self-sacrifice, perseverance, and charity to a depth men grow into more slowly. My children love me and there are certain realms of interest in which they may contact me first, but Geralyn birthed and nursed them all. It is a bond that runs very deep, unspoken though it may be. The generosity of self-giving which Geralyn exemplifies is like a magnet which found my children (after the years of self-searching in their 20s) asking, "How did you ever do it?" It is a grace, first to be admired, but then to be lived as our children face their own trials. And so knowing that Geralyn now faithfully intercedes for them, she is like a human anchor, a gift of God, that secures each of their ships in stormy seas. This is why it is so easy for Catholics to turn to Mary, Star of the Sea! It is why all our mothers here on MOG can be confident of the power of their prayers for each child. It is why Jesus has exalted Mary to His right hand! Ps 45:9 ...at your right hand stands the Queen in gold of Ophir. O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!
I used to count as a hobby the number of women at Daily Mass as compared to men and I think there was usually four women for every man. It was the same at the Passion, St John was there along with Our Lady , St Mary Magdalene and the Holy Women. Of course there are far, far more nuns than there are priests and brothers, about the same proportion. One thing I would say though and that is if a man chooses to follow the good path I think he is inclined to take off like a Rocket Ship (though I may be wrong in this; it's just an impression).
https://www.catholicexorcism.org/po...an-witnesses-to-the-sanctity-of-the-eucharist Exorcist Diary #182: Satan Witnesses to the Sanctity of the Eucharist (Giovanni Dominico Tiepolo, "The Institution of the Eucharist," 1753) It is typically very difficult to get a fully possessed person to go to Mass. As often as we encourage the person, the energumen (possessed person) feels a preternatural revulsion to the Eucharist. "K" was no exception. We could not get her to go without practically dragging her into the Church. And then, sitting through the entire Mass was painful, if not impossible. After months of exorcisms, she was much better but getting her into the chapel was still a huge struggle. Finally, we finally were able to schedule a private Mass for her, her father, and uncle. For three days before the scheduled Mass, she manifested almost constantly. The demons knew what was planned and they went ballistic. They manipulated her and everyone else, trying to sabotage the event, but no one budged. When the day came, her family, not-so-subtly, all but dragged her into the chapel. She was seated between two large family members who kept her in place. Then the Mass began. As the Mass progressed, she kept yelling, "You're killing me!" She said her stomach hurt and she felt nauseous. She heaved many times. We had a bucket nearby and she wretched a white foam into the bucket. When the Gospel was read, she reacted violently. (I must admit it was difficult for me to concentrate.) Then, it came time for communion. After much coaxing and finally a command from her father, she opened her mouth. As I approached with the Sacred Host, she screamed, "You're burning me!" I put the host into her mouth. She thrashed and tried to spit it out, but her father held her mouth shut. Later, she said the Host tasted like "ashes." After the Mass ended, she returned to herself. She said the demons were gone (at least temporarily) and she was at peace. She laughed, joked and smiled. Satan, unintentionally, witnesses to all that is holy. He writhes when sprinkled with holy water; he cringes at the sight of a blessed crucifix; but he positively screams when coming in contact with the Eucharist. We, for our part, also witness to the sanctity of the Eucharist. We genuflect in front of the reserved Eucharist in the tabernacle; we adore the presence of Jesus during Eucharistic adoration; we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus at Mass with great reverence. As St. Thomas wrote: How blessed we are to receive the "bread of angels!" (Panis Angelicus)
Beautifully said Mario. Your post hit very close to home for me today. Long story short, it involves a boat, my son, and the stormy seas of his life. If you are a mother you are the family intecessor. To Jesus through Mary. +
