Catholics: Do you really believe in Holy Water?

Answer 1

thats tap water with jiberish spoken over it

Answer 2

For CJ and others who lie and say that the Bible never mentions holy water... prepare to be exposed.




Numbers 5:17
"And 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."

This shows that holy water not only has a basis in the Bible, but that it has been around since the days of Moses. Holy water was used for numerous Old Testament ceremonies that involved ceremonial sprinklings and washings. Today we are not bound to perform those ceremonies, but the fact holy water was used at all proves that it is not a superstitious or invalid practice.



And there you have it.

Answer 3

Do I "believe in" it like do I believe there is such a thing? Yes.

Anything can be blessed, including water.

That's what holy water is - blessed water with a prayer attached to it. It's called a sacramental.

In the Bible in Numbers 5:17 it prescribes the use of holy water by the temple priest.

Answer 4

Holy water is merely water blessed for the needs of Baptism. Us Catholics and different liturgical denominations use holy water interior the Sacrament of Baptism. The Sacrament of Baptism welcomes the guy into God's family members. Catholics and another denominations alongside with Lutherans use fonts of holy water to bless themselves, making the sign of the pass.

Answer 5

Yes



The ritual use of this precious substance is ancient and rooted in the Old Testament. When the Israelites entered the Temple, they had to undergo purifcation by immersion in a mikvah (modern Jews still make use of mikva'ot on Yom Kippur, on wedding days, for purification after menstruation or coming into contact with a dead body or semen, etc.). These ritual purifications by water prefigured Christian Baptism, which we recall when we bless ourselves (cross ourselves) using holy water upon entering our churches. Devoutly blessing one's self with Holy Water remits venial sins.

Psalm 28:3 ``The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
the God of majesty hath thundered, The Lord is upon many waters."

Answer 6

everydaycatholic said: When a priest, who is called by God to be shepherd to His people, blesses something, it is made holy.

What happens if the priest is later found to be duplicitous, betraying the trust placed in him? Does this affect the holy water? Is the water not holy if the blessing priest is found to be corrupt? If I were to believe in Holy Water, it would have to be from the divine wellspring itself, not simply chanted over by a mere human. I just find flaws in the assumption that a priest can make water holy any better than *I* could if I believed in God and asked Him to bless some water in my possession.

I say this as a theoretical; I am not Catholic but agnostic. But I have often questioned the authority placed in priests as the Hands of God. Many are not worthy, and I think this devalues the artifacts supposedly "blessed" by them if they are shown to be corrupt. If the receiver of Holy Water believes it is truly blessed by God and the priest doing the blessing is corrupted, then it is my opinion that the receiver him or herself has had direct contact with the divine and the blessing has taken place there. Thus, a believer who receives the Holy Water would be blessed by in in the measure that he or she is close to God. I see no need for the priest.

Answer 7

Holy water carries a few meanings to catholics.

It carries the prayers of the church and is therefore considered holy.

HOLY WATER

Perhaps somewhat significantly, water most often symbolizes the qualities that it actually possesses: those of cleansing and purification. There is nothing new in this; pagan religions used water as a symbol of purification and, as Fr. James Tolhurst points out in his pamphlet, "Baptism: What it means," in the traditions of most civilizations we find that water is the source of life, strength and even eternity. Jesus Himself said that "whoever drinks of the water I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14).

For Catholics, the first encounter with this life giving water comes when we are baptized, and in that washing away of our sins, we become adopted sons and daughters of the Father.

Even after baptism, holy water continues to play a part in our liturgical lives. When we enter a church, we cross ourselves with holy water as a sign of cleansing to be worthy of prayer in the presence of God, which also serves as a reminder of baptism.

In the nuptial Mass, the wedding rings of the couple are blessed using holy water. One can view this not only as an act of purification, but also as a sign of the "dew from above." That is, what dew is to the land--life giving and prosperous--let the blessing of God be in your soul: in this case, bringing prosperity within the marriage.

Why "holy" water? Because it has been blessed by the Church with solemn prayers which take effect when the holy water is used by an individual.

Why use such symbols?:
This theme is echoed in the Vatican II document, "Sacrosanctum Concilium," article 33:

"...the visible signs which the sacred liturgy uses to signify invisible divine things have been chosen by Christ or by the Church...When the Church prays or sings or acts, the faith of those taking part is nourished, and their minds are raised to God so that they may offer him their spiritual homage and receive his grace more abundantly."

Because we are not pure spirit but body and soul, the use of signs and symbols appeals to the mind via our physical senses. It is a yearning to express the faith that cannot be put into words, thus integrating both the material and spiritual in an act of worship and reverence towards God.

Answer 8

well i believe in the authority of the bible so yes i believe in holy water, many well informed CHRISTIAN catholics have already presented the reasoning behind holy water so i will not expand upon that. i do however find it interseting how other CHRISTIANS are so misinformed and ignorant of not only scripture but in how they treat other christians. it might be a cliche but honestly my seperated brothers and sisters in christ WWJD(WHAT WOULD JESUS DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Answer 9

Sure.

Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. (Luke 9:16)

Sacramentals are sacred signs that help us live holy lives. Although they do not produce sanctifying grace

Sacramentals include blessings of persons, meals, objects (including water), and places.

The priest blesses the congregation during Mass.

Christians bless their meals. "Bless us O Lord and these thy gifts, ..."

Priests bless water, animals, ships, homes, and even automobiles. "God bless this home and all those who enter here."

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1667 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt4.htm#art1

With love in Christ.

Answer 10

Holy water is a sacramental. There is nothing to 'believe in.'

It is something that is there to help remind us of our Baptism and to inspire us to be holier people.

Answer 11

Yes, I believe in holy water.

Spiffs:

A very good and well-researched answer.