Why Do We Use Holy Water?

Q: The Fundamentalist say that the holy water has no basis in the Bible, so why do Catholics use them?

A: Look up in Numbers 5:17, where a ritual is being described: "And the priest shall take the holy water in an earthen vessel and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water."

This shows that holy water not only has biblical basis, but that it has been around since the day of Moses. Holy water used for numerous Old Testament ceremonies that involved ceremonial sprinkling and washings. Today we are not bound to perform those ceremonies, but the fact that holy water was used proves that it is not a superstitious or invalid practice.

In itself, holy water isn't exceptional. There are no magical properties to it. The spiritual benefit of holy water comes from the devotion of the people who use it. Anything can be used for good ends, because everything God created is good. When water is blessed and transformed into holy water, it is "set aside" for a religious purpose, and such purpose is by nature good. In Old Testament, water was used to consecrate priests (Ex. 29:4, Lv. 8:6, Nm. 8:7). It was used before sacrifices were offered (Ex. 30:18-19). In Soloon's temple, there were ten giant basins of water (1 Kgs. 7:38-39). In the New Testament, Christ washed the apostles' feet with water (Jn. 13:4-10), a ceremony preserved in the Maundy Thursday liturgy.

Because of such scriptural and historical connections, Catholics see holy water as a sign of God's continual imparting of grace through the Church and through holy actions especially through the sacraments. Just as the sign of the cross reinds us of the sacrifice on Calvary, and of the chief Christian doctrine, the Trinity, so holy water (which commonly is used when making the sign of the cross) reminds us of the cleansing power of God's grace.