Some time ago I wrote about holy water and its purpose. I am a Catholic, so I will talk about it from my perspective. And hopefully it will inspire people of all faiths and denominations to use it.
The Church celebrates several days of the year with holy water. Two very special moments in our lives are the day we are born and baptized, and the day we die. Our entire existence is summarized in two events, and both are touched by the holy water.
Then we have many other special days like Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, where the priest celebrating Mass sprinkles holy water on the entire congregation.
When it comes to personal use of this holy water, over the years I have used it to ease the pain of sprains and headaches. Also to bless my family and the cars they drive when they visit me in Atlanta.
Is this holy water for anything other than the purpose of a blessing? I can only tell from my experiences about the actual use of it. A few years ago, I had a torn ligament in the thumb of my right hand that required a very expensive surgical operation to the tune of fifteen thousand dollars. Without qualifying for Medicare at the time, my options were limited and I was not interested in the operation at all.
My only alternative was to suffer severe pain from the wound. I just couldn’t take it, and all I had at my disposal was ibuprofin. I mentioned my situation to an older sister, and she suddenly said, “Why don’t you use holy water?” I probably didn’t even believe in water to make a strong case, but I loved her and did what she suggested.
I used the holy water for four weeks in a row dipping my hand in it at least once a day. That was more than ten years ago and the hand was completely healed in a month. The pain has never returned, and I am writing this story with all my fingers working on the keys.
Is it holy water for everyone? If you don’t have health insurance to cover your bills and pain, why not give it a try?
Two years ago, I was admitted to the emergency room at Emory Hospital in Atlanta. My lungs had become so congested that my breathing was almost totally impeded. I had an X-ray taken while I was sitting in a wheelchair in the ER, while I was being given albuterol to open my bronchial tubes so I could breathe.
The x-ray showed severe congestion of the lungs and bronchi, but she did not have pneumonia. Two and a half days later, I was released from the hospital with a certificate of good health.
I remember spraying the water on my chest every hour in hopes of getting out of the mess I was trapped in. I never expected to end up in the ER!
Did the holy water work for me? I want to believe that, and that’s where faith comes in. It is available in Catholic churches and parishioners can fill small containers and take them home. I do, and have for many years.
If someone wants to try holy water, remember that it is free and you should not have to buy it online. You just need to go to a Catholic church and get it, as it is available when the church is open for services or visits. You will need to bring your own small plastic bottle. I get mine at Walmart near the pharmacy in the travel section.
By the way, the water is “holy” because it is blessed by a priest or a bishop of the church. Other denominations have their own rituals to follow to sanctify the water. But it must be done by a minister or a reverend from a recognized church.
Why do I even recommend holy water to someone? I do it because it is a way of being in contact with God. Prayers work too, but now you want to include holy water to anoint a sick patient at home or in the hospital, and yourself, of course.
Please do not allow anyone to drink it because it is not intended for that purpose. It should only be used to make contact with the patient’s skin. And the same applies to the healthy and faithful.
You do not have to be a Catholic to use holy water from a Catholic church. Just remember to use it correctly and don’t give up after a couple of days of use.
For my hand injury, it took two weeks for the pain to go away, totally and completely. And in the third week of dipping my hand in the holy water, I was able to move my thumb as normally as ever. I gave it another week just in case.
When you have nothing to lose by trying something new, go for it. Not everything in life is medicines and doctors, surgeries and therapies. Sometimes someone comes up with a solution, a remedy, and an idea, and it works.
Perhaps holy water is exactly what you were looking for!