Why Bless Things?

[JRKH]

You know how certain things are so common that you just take them for granted???

That’s how it’s been for me and having items blessed…Then a friend of mine asked me this question…

Someone gave me a framed picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for my work and told me to get it blessed. I’m not sure why I need to do that, and if I do, don’t have have to give the object greater care?

I just got a deer in the headlights look on my face…I mean I could give some answer but really did not feel I had a good enough grasp on the matter. :blushing:…and here I am so you good folks can tutor me.

So - Why have things blessed? What special graces to blessings incur etc…

Peace
James

 

[R_C]

Just some things I gathered here and there, I also don’t have an exact answer

We know that blessings can only be given by the Sacrament of Holy Orders (deacons, priests, bishops)…because it is God that blesses the object! A blessed object becomes sacred, and no longer being something dedicated to wordly matters, it is consecrated to the worship of God.

Another reason is to drive away the influence of the adversary on those objects. We know that God allows him to have certain power (sometimes more, sometimes less) which he may exercise through objects. Through a blessing, however, the object is free from his influence. In fact, blessed objects often drive the adversary away.

Also, the Church having receive power to “bind and unbind”, She has associated particular indulgences to blessed objects, because She knows they will greatly increase our devotion and bring us closer to God and make us grow in holiness, if properly used. Thus, a blessed object, used properly, can help us remit temporal punishment due to sin (and we need that a lot…we don’t notice now, but we will in Purgatory )

And yes, a blessed object must receive greater care, and cannot be discarded like a regular object, because it would be disrespectful towards God. It is as if my dad gives me something and later, before his eyes, I throw it someplace under a pile of random things, or throw it away in the trash…won’t he be hurt by that gesture??

Hope some of these help

 

[JRKH]

Thanks R_C

Peace
James

 

[drforjc]

From the CCC:

Various forms of sacramentals
1671 Among sacramentals blessings (of persons, meals, objects, and places) come first. Every blessing praises God and prays for his gifts. In Christ, Christians are blessed by God the Father "with every spiritual blessing."175 This is why the Church imparts blessings by invoking the name of Jesus, usually while making the holy sign of the cross of Christ.
1672 Certain blessings have a lasting importance because they consecrate persons to God, or reserve objects and places for liturgical use. Among those blessings which are intended for persons - not to be confused with sacramental ordination - are the blessing of the abbot or abbess of a monastery, the consecration of virgins, the rite of religious profession and the blessing of certain ministries of the Church (readers, acolytes, catechists, etc.). the dedication or blessing of a church or an altar, the blessing of holy oils, vessels, and vestments, bells, etc., can be mentioned as examples of blessings that concern objects.

 

[Sue_Denim]

I really struggle with this, I’m not sure why. Maybe its because I was born so questioning.

A rosary that blessed is not going to make the prayers more powerful received. Right? A blessing would mean that the object is meant for prayer. and not of the world. It’s not meant to be worn or left at the bottom of one’s purse. Can it be argued that a rosary by its nature already is due this respect without the blessing, if so, what would a blessing add spiritually?

But what about blessings over cars and houses. Surely a family home and car will not be used completely for religious reasons.

I like the answer that it drives away adversary. This seems more clear to me in the purpose. I personally will not have my religious objects blessed for the sake of saying they are so. I need to understand what a blessing means and that I’m able to care for the object properly, and if I need to dispose of it, how to do it respectfully. (If someone has their house blessed, what happens if the occupants move, does it become un-blessed).

I wish I was more the type of person that can just enjoy the fact that God has blessed the object, but I truly want to understand it more so I can more fully appreciate it.

 

[R_C]

A rosary that blessed is not going to make the prayers more powerful received. Right?

We don’t know When something is consecrated to God for prayer, it may as well be that God takes into special account those prayers. And indulgences for the living and for the souls in purgatory may only be merited by praying with blessed objects (that they may be properly become sacramentals)

A blessing would mean that the object is meant for prayer. and not of the world. It’s not meant to be worn or left at the bottom of one’s purse. Can it be argued that a rosary by its nature already is due this respect without the blessing, if so, what would a blessing add spiritually?

A Rosary is worn in the secular world as a piece of jewelry, often in ways that are disrespectful. This is not an infraction inasmuch as the person ignores the spirituality of the Rosary. However, a blessed Rosary not treated with proper respect would imply committing a sacrilege.

But what about blessings over cars and houses. Surely a family home and car will not be used completely for religious reasons.

Surely not, but we bless them so that they are consecrated to God. Then whatever we do will be done having God as the end, and we should try our best to do so! Surely we can use a blessed Rosary in ways that have nothing to do with prayer - don’t we often put it in front of our car? That doesn’t mean it’s not consecrated to God, or that we are not intending to use it for God’s glory and for the good of souls.

I like the answer that it drives away adversary. This seems more clear to me in the purpose. I personally will not have my religious objects blessed for the sake of saying they are so. I need to understand what a blessing means and that I’m able to care for the object properly, and if I need to dispose of it, how to do it respectfully. (If someone has their house blessed, what happens if the occupants move, does it become un-blessed).

**Yes, the blessing implies the action of the Holy Spirit. If you sell a blessed object for profit, the blessing is gone. When you sell a house, the blessing is gone. Notice that one cannot bless a house without the presence and agreement of those who are living there! **

I wish I was more the type of person that can just enjoy the fact that God has blessed the object, but I truly want to understand it more so I can more fully appreciate it.

 

[simple_soul]

You know how certain things are so common that you just take them for granted???

That’s how it’s been for me and having items blessed…Then a friend of mine asked me this question…

Someone gave me a framed picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for my work and told me to get it blessed. I’m not sure why I need to do that, and if I do, don’t have have to give the object greater care?

I just got a deer in the headlights look on my face…I mean I could give some answer but really did not feel I had a good enough grasp on the matter. :blushing:…and here I am so you good folks can tutor me.

So - Why have things blessed? What special graces to blessings incur etc…

Peace
James

*Hi James,

I am not sure if this will help but maybe,…

In the church I go to I found out about a tradition of blessing Icons that I had not known about. I had observed that some people had their icons put on the Alter during Liturgy for it to be blessed that way. When I inquired about it Father explained to me that really it was the tradition to leave it on the Alter for forty days. I question what the difference would be between forty days or one Liturgy and he explained it to be like the longer it stayed their the more of God’s presence it absorbed and that it was kind of like becoming a second class relic. At first I was kind of skeptical about it but then I started to think. The more we keep ourselves in God’s Presence the more we absorb Him so why would this same principle not apply to the Icon that was being blessed. I understand it would not be quite the same as me directly absorbing Him but like I am still absorbing Him through this blessed Icon.

Not sure if this helps at all or if it even makes sense to you but it did help me a little bit and needles to say we left it on the Alter for forty days plus a few extra…and I know I am not being superstitious about this when I say that there is something different about this Icon than the others that are in our house.
I am thinking of having our other ones blessed in this way too…

Peace to you too…*

 

[JRKH]

Thanks everyone…The answers are helping…

Peace
James

 

[R_C]

Thanks everyone…The answers are helping…

Peace
James

Some more in this thread

 

[tektonik]

This is how I feel about having blessed items, whether you bless them and keep them at home or bless them and wear them…

What is more powerful?

Having on you a blessed rosary, blessed purity ring/wedding ring, blessed crucifix necklace, blessed scapular, blessed pictures of Jesus or Mary, blessed whatever else you can think of and either wearing it or having it in your home/car.

OR

Having an active, real, alive, confident relationship with Jesus.

I think it’s completely fine having things blessed, but it’s not the key to Jesus’ heart.

 

[Sue_Denim]

I think it’s completely fine having things blessed, but it’s not the key to Jesus’ heart.

I agree with you tektonik. I wouldn’t want an outsider to see the sacramental as more important than Jesus and my relationship with him.

However, a blessed Rosary not treated with proper respect would imply committing a sacrilege.

Thank you R_C. I knew this already which is why I was trying to weigh on whether or not to have my Rosary blessed. I’m pretty hard on my belongings and I don’t want to risk committing sacrilege by my misuse, even if not intended. So–I’m not sure it’s worth having my personal items blessed as I mistrust my ability to take care of it.

We bless them so that they are consecrated to God. Then whatever we do will be done having God as the end, and we should try our best to do so!

This is a better answer for me that the quotes for the CCC upthread. Thank you for summing it up so well.

In the church I go to I found out about a tradition of blessing Icons that I had not known about. I had observed that some people had their icons put on the Alter during Liturgy for it to be blessed that way. When I inquired about it Father explained to me that really it was the tradition to leave it on the Alter for forty days. I question what the difference would be between forty days or one Liturgy and he explained it to be like the longer it stayed their the more of God’s presence it absorbed and that it was kind of like becoming a second class relic. At first I was kind of skeptical about it but then I started to think. The more we keep ourselves in God’s Presence the more we absorb Him so why would this same principle not apply to the Icon that was being blessed. I understand it would not be quite the same as me directly absorbing Him but like I am still absorbing Him through this blessed Icon.

Fascinating! Is doesn’t sound like a typical practice in a Catholic church to me. Is it done or is it with Orthodox and Eastern Catholic rites? Thank you simple soul.

 

[simple_soul]

Fascinating! Is doesn’t sound like a typical practice in a Catholic church to me. Is it done or is it with Orthodox and Eastern Catholic rites? Thank you simple soul.

*I go to a Melkite Catholic Church and from what I understand it is a tradition in this rite. I do not know if it is a tradition in other Eastern Catholic Rites or the Orthodox Churches.

I would like to make one clarification to what I said. I am not sure the word “absorb” explains adequately what I am trying to say.

We have a few Icons in our home. Only this one has been blessed this way. When I pray in front of this Icon I believe there is more of a connection with being in His presence than there is with the other Icons. The way I see all Icons is that they are there to direct me to or remind me as to whom they are representing. This particular Icon seems to have a stronger reminder of who Jesus is.
I am not sure if this makes any sense but it is like when I pray in front of the Icons I know I am putting myself in front of Jesus’ presence. It is Jesus who I am praying too…His presence seems stronger in front of the Icon that was blessed by being on the Alter than by the ones I have in my house that have not been blessed this way.
I know some people will probable say it is all psychological, maybe it is, but I believe it is actually actually so much more than that because there is such a supernatural experience about it that makes it really hard to explain. I hope this makes more sense.*