Holy water

In many churches you will find bowls or stoups containing holy water.  We dip the fingers of our right hand in it, as we enter and leave the church, and make the sign of the Cross.  This reminds us that we must be pure in heart.  When the water is blessed, prayers are said for those who will use it in this way and so, when we use it, we have the benefit of those prayers.

In some churches, before the chief Eucharist on Sunday, the people are sprinkled with holy water to remind them of the need for purity of heart and to set them apart for the worship of God.  This ceremony is called the Asperges, which is Latin for the first word of the antiphon (Psalm 51:7) with which it begins: “Thou shalt purge …”.

Holy water is also used in blessing various things, such as a crucifix or a new house.

SUMMARY

1. By making the sign of the Cross we show that we believe in Our Lord and the Christian Faith.  It also reminds us that every blessing, which we have as members of the Church, has been paid for by him at the cost of the Crucifixion.

2. We bow to the altar which is Our Lord’s Throne, and we genuflect to him in the Blessed Sacrament.

3. Candles are a sign of joy and honour and remind us that the teaching of Jesus is a light to guide us in our lives.

4. Incense is used to do honour to God, and to set people and things apart for his worship.  Its smoke is like the church’s prayers ascending to God.

5. Holy water reminds us that we must be pure in heart.  When we use holy water we have the benefit of the prayers which are said, at the time it is blessed, for those who shall use it.

References

1. Tertullian (200 AD) De Corona, 3, in Kidd, B.J. (1920) Documents illustrative of the history of the Church, Volume 1, No. 97, London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

2. Jerome (378 AD) Contra Vigilantium, 7, cited in Dix, G. (1945) The shape of the liturgy, Westminster: Dacre Press.

3. Ainger, A.C. (1894) God is working his purpose out.  Available from:
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/g/g179.html  (Accessed 25 August 2010) (Internet).

4. Cited in Dix, G. (1945) The shape of the liturgy, Westminster: Dacre Press.