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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
When you come to Mass this weekend, you will likely notice something new towards the front of the church, under the hymn board on the Sacred Heart side of the Church. Thanks to the generosity of the Knights of Columbus, we have a new Holy Water basin, which I have decided ought to go out in the Church so that the faithful have more ready access to this sacramental. As this becomes more available to us for use in our devotional life, I want to make a few reminders about Holy Water, its use, and what not to do.
In the code of canon law, we can read that “Sacramentals are signs by which effects, especially spiritual effects, are signified in some imitation of the sacraments and are obtained through the intercession of the church (CIC 1166).” Specifically with Holy Water, this sacramental is a reminder of our Baptism, and whenever it is used, we are to be reminded of our own consecration to the Lord, and the promises he makes to us, to grant us eternal life and unite us to his Sacrifice on the Cross. It is good to use it often in our homes as a reminder of God’s grace which blesses us and our homes. Holy Water is not a magical remedy for things, but an outward sign of God’s grace given to us in Baptism.
If you would like to take some Holy Water home, you can take some in a bottle. It should not be put in ordinary water bottles. We have special bottles used for Holy Water, which you can get from us in the sacristy after Mass. There is a beautiful and powerful custom of keeping a Holy Water font at the front door of our homes (similar to the ones at the doors of our church), so that as we come and go from our homes, we can be reminded of our Baptism and the call we have received from the Lord to make disciples of all people. It is also a powerful reminder that our home is meant to be a “Domestic Church,” a place of encounter with the Lord.
I hope that the use of this Holy Water can bring you closer to the Lord, with the ever present reminder for us of our Baptism, not just here at the church, but also at home and in our everyday lives.
In Christ,
Fr. John Paul