Topic: Catholic practices

Date originally posted: February 8, 2002

Source of this posting: Moderator response to emailed question

Moderator who originally posted this source: B. Egan

Dates emended: February 19, 2002

Moderators who did the emending: P. Leach

Question:  My friend and I went to Mass together not long ago and she's not Catholic. So, when I went into Church, I made the sign of the cross with holy water like I'm supposed to do.  Well, my friend asked me why we do that, and I really didn't know what to tell her.  So, why do we make the sign of the cross with holy water when we go into a Church?  Thanks!

Answer:

Holy water, simple tap water blessed by a priest on behalf of the Church community, is used in many liturgical rituals as a reminder of our baptism.  It is present at the doors of Catholic Churches (and in many Catholic homes) so that all who enter may bless themselves as a way of recalling their baptism.  Similarly, people often bless themselves as they leave to remind themselves to live out their baptismal call in their daily lives. 

In a liturgical setting, a priest asks God to send the Holy Spirit upon the water in the font so that "all who are buried with Christ in the death of baptism may rise also with him in the newness of life."  That same now-blessed water is then often sprinkled over the congregation, especially at the Easter Vigil and throughout the Easter season at Mass.  Because of the Church's belief that those who are baptized die with Christ so that they might rise with him to eternal life, holy water is sprinkled on the casket or cremains of all Catholic Christians at their funeral. 

In addition to people, objects may be blessed by holy water.  It is used repeatedly when places of worship are consecrated.  Holy water is often used in the blessings of new homes and other structures.  Those who have attended a Catholic school may recall the use of holy water in the blessing of school medals and rings. 

Holy Water is a fascinating example of how the Church employs a symbol in such a way that two apparently unrelated things come together in a remarkable way to show how God is working everywhere.   

Water, on the one hand, has an almost exclusively ‘natural’ aspect: it cleans, nourishes and refreshes.  Water can, in this ‘natural’ dimension, also be destructive and corrosive.   

On the other hand, the grace of God makes water have a ‘supernatural’ work as well: it bestows grace, washes away sins, is the means by which we are adopted into the Lord’s family.  But as suggested above, the holy water of Baptism is also where, according to the Scripture, that we are “buried” with Christ.   

So, our use of holy water mirrors the role of water in nature: brings grace and life, destroys sin and death. 

When, therefore, we dip our fingers in holy water, we are reminding ourselves – often unconsciously – of how God uses this basic and essential part of nature to bring us the gifts of grace.  Holy water helps us to see God’s hand everywhere: in rain, in rivers, in the morning dew.  Even washing dishes or taking a shower might, if we’re open to what holy water can mean, remind us of God’s Presence all round us.