Holy Water - A Means of Spiritual Wealth?

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PaulWest Jun 16, 2007

Saints,

I did a Catholic burial yesterday in the sweltering Texas heat. In the middle of the mass I went to the rectory and asked the young ladies if the church had a water fountain. They said no, but they could give me some "holy water". I laughed and said you must be joking. One of them went into a back room and returned with a cup of cold water. As I took the cup, one of the ladies gave me a tract that said:

"Holy Water - A Means of Spiritual Wealth"

They said that "the spirits are gonna come out of you if you drink that". I smiled and thanked them for the water and sat down to read the tract they gave me. I reproduce it here for the SI readership. I knew the RCC was messed up...but this was something else. When you see the term "Holy Water" think of the blood, repentance, and saving faith in Christ and juggle those thoughts around and try to see what I saw:

"Holy Water is a sacrmental that remits venial sin. Because of the blessing attached to it, The Holy Church strongly urges its use upon Her children, especially when dangers threaten, such as fire, storms, sickness, discord and other calamities. Every Catholic home should always have a supply of Holy Water.

"If we could realize now - as we shall after death - the many benefits which may be derived from Holy Water, we would use it far more frequently, and with greater faith and reverence. Holy Water has its great power and efficacy from the prayers of the Church. The following are some of the petitions the priest makes to God when he blesses the water:

~~[i]~~"O God...grant that this creature of Thine (Holy Water) may be endowed with divine grace to drive away devils and to cast out diseases, that whatever in houses or possessions of the faithful may be sprinkled by this Holy Water may be freed from everything unclean, and delivered from that which is hurtful. Let everything that threatens the safety or peace of the dwellers therein be banished by the sprinkling of this Holy Water so that health which they seek by calling upon Thy Holy Name may be guarded from all assault..."[/i]

"The devil hates Holy Water because of its power over him. He cannot long abide in a place or person that is often sprinkled with Holy Water. Holy Water, when sprinkled with faith and piety, can move the Sacred Heart to bless your loved ones, present or absent, and protect them from all harm of soul and body.

"When worry and fear take possession of you, give your dear one the benefit of the Church's prayer. Only in Purgatory can one understand how ardently a poor soul longs for Holy Water. If we desire to make a host of intercessors for ourselves, let us never forget them at the Holy Water font. The Holy souls nearest to heaven may need the sprinkling of only one drop to release them."

This ought to get someone righteously angry! Lies.

Brother Paul

sermonindex Jun 16, 2007

Brother Paul, I had to go to the RCC till I was 10 and finally said, "this isn't GOD" and that was the end of it with me. I was only 10 and didn't know anyone or anything Biblical, but something inside felt so wrong with not going straight to Jesus by oneself. Only one nun that I had for one Catechism class spoke of Jesus a lot, as if she knew Him. I couldn't go back to the confessional and the Latin masses and the whole gammit of stuff. Never felt right to pray to anyone else but the Lord Himself. Couldn't figure what twirling beads was for. I felt by faith, that any prayer I said, that Jesus/God heard me the first time and that I'd get bored if I was God if someone said the same words a million times to me. Way past bored.
I felt I could just talk to Him as a friend. Memorizing prayers didn't fit the Jesus that I felt I knew as a child. I couldn't picture Him sitting there waiting for me to pick up the right 'thing' to wear on my body made of cloth or having to say 20 Hail Mary's - 20 Lord's Prayers - 10 Apostle Creeds to be forgiven for something negligible.
The deeper I got into what they believe, I couldn't believe that the same Jesus that is spoken of in the New Testament would invent all of those external practices and robes and motions and changing wine into real blood and round wafers with some symbol on it and kissing rings of men, I can't even name it all.

At 10 my head was swirling with this stuff and couldn't picture my Jesus ever commanding these things. I didn't hear the New Testament Gospel until I was 23 and excepted it on the spot. I still felt as if I knew Him before I was 'officially' Saved that day. I won't go into why I felt that way, but He set me free at 10 of what my little head knew wasn't true all along about Jesus and how He treats people who want to know Him & true forgiveness. Flagilation ? Oh there's so much more I can't even get it all out right now, that we were taught was Christ-ianity.

This stuff just makes me tremble inside and out.
This priestcraft - mediator - praying out of purgatory stuff is just more than I can put into words.
Robbing folks of going straight to the Cross and to Him-Himself does upset terribly, it really hits me right at home. Selling indulgences and Masses said for the dead or paying to light candles and on and on and on and on it goes. I know it all by heart - every practice they have and it tears me up. Bowing before men who are the only perveyors of truth, rituals and repetions and how many Saints are there and which one for which need and what prayer for what situation ... Holy water is only one thing that they say does these type miracles.
Mary's face on a piece of toast ?

Paul, I'm not mad, my heart is breaking so bad right now I can't even express it now.

The Bible says, "The simplicity of The Gospel" - where is it ?

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ginnyrose Jun 16, 2007

Disgusting and sad.

Mind if I tell you a story? When our DD was hospitalized in a Catholic hospital in 1995, I think, our family went into the chapel they had at the facility, and there was a container labelled "Holy Water". Then one of our boys - a teenager - wondered if it would still be considered holy water if he spat in it? Not a profound story, I admit, but when I read about 'Holy Water' I am always reminded of this question. Actually, I think it is a tad bit funny...the notion this water is 'holy' borders on the ridiculous, IMHO.

ginnyrose

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LiveforGod Jun 16, 2007

Thank you for sharing this with us.

I laughed and said you must be joking

I laughed to, but then thought about how serious they take it and stoped laughing.

When you see the term "Holy Water" think of the blood, repentance, and saving faith in Christ and juggle those thoughts around and try to see what I saw:

almost everything fits if you change the "Holy Water".
Thank you Brother.

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PaulWest Jun 17, 2007

Holy Water, to me, is more like a charm for a Roman Catholic. A physical element that, when blessed by a priest, becomes a miracle-working power unto itself. The same goes for a crucifix. Did you ever wonder what the fixation is about Jesus dead on a cross? You step into any RCC and there it is - a dead figure on a cross. Why don't they have an empty tomb instead? If you want a symbol of what God did...why not the empty tomb? His death would have been in vain had He not risen.

The fixation, I believe, is given by the wicked spirit behind the RCC. When Jesus died on the cross, Evil triumphed. I think Satan wants to gloat - though he knows he's defeated - and keep a replica of the dead christ to perpetuate throughout the centuries, as if to say, "Look! Look what I did! I killed God!"

My take on it, anyhow.

Brother Paul

sermonindex Jun 17, 2007

PaulWest wrote:
Holy Water, to me, is more like a charm for a Roman Catholic. A physical element that, when blessed by a priest, becomes a miracle-working power unto itself. The same goes for a crucifix. Did you ever wonder what the fixation is about Jesus dead on a cross? You step into any RCC and there it is - a dead figure on a cross. Why don't they have an empty tomb instead? If you want a symbol of what God did...why not the empty tomb? His death would have been in vain had He not risen.
The fixation, I believe, is given by the wicked spirit behind the RCC. When Jesus died on the cross, Evil triumphed. I think Satan wants to gloat - though he knows he's defeated - and keep a replica of the dead christ to perpetuate throughout the centuries, as if to say, "Look! Look what I did! I killed God!"
My take on it, anyhow.

Bro Paul, I'm still wondering how you came to be conducting a Catholic funeral!

I agree about the holy water, and the crucifix, of course, but had a very strange leading from the Lord when attending a mostly Catholic Charismatc prayer group some years ago. Some of the folks there, I'm certain, did know the Lord.

A lady who was a very devout Catholic, but also seemed to have a real spark of spiritual life, was very worried about her quick temper, that she didn't seem to be able to control.

I found myself asking, "Do you have a crucifix at home (which I knew she must have). She said yes. Then I said (words to this effect): When you look at it next, don't think of the suffering, think of the words the Lord spoke, "It is finished!" Your temper is finished! He dealt with it on the Cross! Believe it and it will begin to come true in your life."

Jeannette

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PaulWest Jun 17, 2007

Bro Paul, I'm still wondering how you came to be conducting a Catholic funeral!

I'm a Funeral Director, sister. If a family comes to me that happens to be Roman Catholic, I have to call their church and schedule a funeral mass with a priest. I don't ~~[i]~~conduct[/i] the mass; I'll take the funeral procession to the church and usually wait outside.

Catholic Charismatc prayer group some years ago. Some of the folks there, I'm certain, did know the Lord.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't they still offer prayers to Mary and the dead at these charismatic services? Not that I am doubting you, sister...but ~~[i]~~how[/i] did you determine these folks knew the Lord? It could be they did, I'm just curious as to what was the litmus test.

Brother Paul

sermonindex Jun 17, 2007

PaulWest wrote:
Bro Paul, I'm still wondering how you came to be conducting a Catholic funeral!

I'm a Funeral Director, sister. If a family comes to me that happens to be Roman Catholic, I have to call their church and schedule a funeral mass with a priest. I don't ~~[i]~~conduct[/i] the mass; I'll take the funeral procession to the church and usually wait outside.

Oh, of course, I forgot, was mixing you up (work wise) with another member of SI who's a pathologist, or similar :-)

Catholic Charismatc prayer group some years ago. Some of the folks there, I'm certain, did know the Lord.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't they still offer prayers to Mary and the dead at these charismatic services? Not that I am doubting you, sister...but ~~[i]~~how[/i] did you determine these folks knew the Lord? It could be they did, I'm just curious as to what was the litmus test.
Brother Paul

I know, but believe the Lord led me to be alongside them for a season When they did the "Hail Mary" I would try to make an excuse to go to the toilet (bathroom I think you call it)and rebuke the spirit of idolatry as loud as I dared!

But I do believe that some RC's I've met do truly know the Lord, in spite of their other beliefs. The "litmus test" was the witness of the Spirit, and also that those individuals were less interested in the saints and Mary and tended to talk about the Lord only.

And there were one or two (both priests) that I knew who the Lord was obviously "calling out" of Roman Catholicism. The cost such a one would face is much greater than for a Protestant minister called out of his denomination. And that can be traumatic enough, as I know, having done it.

There was also one who had been a nun since age 18, (she was probably in her 70's when I knew her). It was her whole life, and I could see her getting dragged back into that system, and becoming more and more "Catholic" again. She was struggling to be free, to begin with, but the price was greater than she would bear to pay.

But, after all, we Protestants have our own idols too - just not as blatant as praying to the dead or statues and things...

Thanks for your concern

in Him

Jeannette