Holy water uses

[GKCT]

I recently heard someone tell a priest (it was not a private conversation) that she uses holy water for various purposes. Some of which are: putting it in the baby’s formula, drinking it, watering the plants among other things. I’m an old fogie from the Latin Mass (!), but to my understanding holy water was to be used for blessing oneself, the sacraments, the priest blessings at certain times of the year and other church-related services. Am I behind the times?? By the way, the priest said absolutely nothing to her.

 

[mom2em]

In a baby’s bottle? I’ve never heard of that. Or drinking it or really any of them. I’ve only known it’s uses to be as you yourself stated. How peculiar. I am though, curious to see if anyone else has heard these things and known them to be true. Interesting (hehe that isn’t to say now I’ll be drinking the Holy water. Incase I happen to come off like that )

 

[jpjd]

To use holy water in that way seems to me to indicate a superstitious attitude toward the holy water. Holy water is a sacramental used for blessings. It is not a good luck charm. In fact, to use it the way she is seems to me to be profaning the holy water.

 

[MarcusAndreas]

The uses being described are common in Byzantine praxis, at least as far as drinking and cooking go.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I recently heard someone tell a priest (it was not a private conversation) that she uses holy water for various purposes. Some of which are: putting it in the baby’s formula, drinking it, watering the plants among other things. I’m an old fogie from the Latin Mass (!), but to my understanding holy water was to be used for blessing oneself, the sacraments, the priest blessings at certain times of the year and other church-related services. Am I behind the times?? By the way, the priest said absolutely nothing to her.

In Eastern Catholic (and Orthodox) parishes, there is no such thing as those fonts where we dip our hands and bless ourselves. We do drink Holy Water. Some would drink Holy Water right after receiving Communion to make sure no particles of the Precious Body or drops of the Precious Blood remains in one’s mouth.

 

[nickiswank]

In Eastern Catholic (and Orthodox) parishes, there is no such thing as those fonts where we dip our hands and bless ourselves. We do drink Holy Water. Some would drink Holy Water right after receiving Communion to make sure no particles of the Precious Body or drops of the Precious Blood remains in one’s mouth.

That’s really interesting, and I really like the idea of drinking it to make sure you’ve gotten all of the Body and Blood. It just seems appropriate somehow.

 

[ConstantineTG]

That’s really interesting, and I really like the idea of drinking it to make sure you’ve gotten all of the Body and Blood. It just seems appropriate somehow.

The priests pretty much does the same thing when they purify the vessels. The pour Holy Water to cleanse the chalice and drink it all. Remember the water they use to mix with the wine has been blessed.

During Theophany where we celebrate Christ’s baptism in the Jordan, the priest (or in our case, the bishop) would bless a big jar of water. Then we all have a drink from that water after Liturgy. Then people are free to take the water home to drink or add in their meals or whatever. As MarcusAndreas said, its the Eastern praxis that the Holy Water is consumed rather than sprinkled.

 

[BluesPicker]

Of course we can bring a bottle of drinking water, and a box of salt to have those blessed. And we can drink the Holy Water. As long as the container has over half a bottle of water we can add regular drinking water to the Holy Water and the Holy Water blesses the added water. Then we can add a pinch of Holy Salt to our newly refilled Holy Water. But just a pinch because we don’t want give a baby or anyone too much salt.

   We  can use the Holy Water as long as we don't use it in a profane manner.  As long as we use the Holy Water, Oil, and Salt   in  manner that offers holy and honor to God. Holy Oil  has more restrictions.   And we can't use Holy Chrism at all.

    We can also have incense blessed and use it while we  pray.

   If  we have bad dreams we can splash Holy Water over heads.    Our  bodies are Temples of the Holy Spirit.

    Holy Water  is  a sacramental just like a Holy Medal or Blessed Rosary.   In the not so  distant past  pets and farm animals were blessed.  Orchards were blessed.

  Rather than being superstitious it is an Act of  Faith.    There are evil people who are in league with the devil who put curses on  food.    Many people have become under the influence from eating such a food substance.   Then in exorcisms they spit up the cursed objects.    All  this  can be avoided by simply bowing our heads in pray blessing our food and saying  grace  giving the Lord  thanks  for giving our bodies substance  to live.

   I confess   I  forget to bless my food and drink.   How thoughtless of me  for God giving me the means  to acquire  life giving  substances and not thank Him.  When we bless and give thanks to God  for the substances  that give us life  He gives us Graces to  burn and use that food and drink for His Glory.   He will give us the Graces to live Holy Lives but He wants to hear us ask Him. 

    Imagine  the parents and their child go to the store.  Do we want our child just to reach out and  grab  things?  Do we just let the child grab what he wants  and then make us buy it?   How  rewarding is it to hear the words "May I get this, please."   In this same manner God who has given us everything waits  for us to ask.

    Jesus it is written  loved  children because He  embraced  childhood innocence that is so trusting..  Trusting in God's Goodness is not superstitious.

BP

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

 

[thistle]

I recently heard someone tell a priest (it was not a private conversation) that she uses holy water for various purposes. Some of which are: putting it in the baby’s formula, drinking it, watering the plants among other things. I’m an old fogie from the Latin Mass (!), but to my understanding holy water was to be used for blessing oneself, the sacraments, the priest blessings at certain times of the year and other church-related services. Am I behind the times?? By the way, the priest said absolutely nothing to her.

I would not use it for drinking or cooking unless you know its origin.
When I lived in Singapore my regular Church was Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the Holy Water (before being blessed) was rain water gathered and left to sit in open barrels outside where of course bacteria gathered. After being blessed some people took it and got sick by drinking it. The priests had to tell people not to drink it because that was not its intended purpose.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I would not use it for drinking or cooking unless you know its origin.
When I lived in Singapore my regular Church was Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the Holy Water (before being blessed) was rain water gathered and left to sit in open barrels outside where of course bacteria gathered. After being blessed some people took it and got sick by drinking it. The priests had to tell people not to drink it because that was not its intended purpose.

I don’t know if it still holds true today, but in the past I know the first rain of May in the Philippines is the water that is kept and stored and blessed. My mom told me this. But given Metro Manila’s pollution, I don’t think its a good idea even for blessing yourself.

 

[GKCT]

The priests pretty much does the same thing when they purify the vessels. The pour Holy Water to cleanse the chalice and drink it all. Remember the water they use to mix with the wine has been blessed…

I guess things are a bit different in the Byzantine rite and the Roman rite. We do not use holy water in the chalice, just tap water, it is mixed, just a drop, into the chalice with the wine and is blessed when the wine is blessed. Also, the priest uses regular water to cleanse the chalice.

The priest also breaks a small piece of the host into the chalice to symbolize the mixing of the body and blood of Christ. I always consider it a double blessing if I get the piece of host when consuming the the blood of Christ from the chalice.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I guess things are a bit different in the Byzantine rite and the Roman rite. We do not use holy water in the chalice, just tap water, it is mixed, just a drop, into the chalice with the wine and is blessed when the wine is blessed. Also, the priest uses regular water to cleanse the chalice.

The priest also breaks a small piece of the host into the chalice to symbolize the mixing of the body and blood of Christ. I always consider it a double blessing if I get the piece of host when consuming the the blood of Christ from the chalice.

Actually I was thinking of the Latin Rite. Doesn’t the priest bless the water before preparing the chalice? From what I know he does bless the water. I know he puts a little bit in the wine, but at the end of Communion when purifying the chalice he would put in all crumbs into the chalice and mix them with the Precious Blood and consume them all. The add water to ensure no particles of the Sacred Species are left.