Holy water reminds us that our souls have been washed and made pure by the water of holy Baptism, and thereby we have been received into the community of the children of God. Every time we sign our foreheads with holy water, we are reminded of our holy baptismal vows and of the obligation then undertaken, to keep our souls pure. So too holy water is a constant exhortation to purge our hearts from sin by penance and reparation. 

Effects of Holy Water 

If we would know the effects of using holy water and its advantages, we need only to read the prayers said by the priest during the blessing, according to which we are offered the following helps: 

1. Protection against the evil spirit, the devil. We cannot fail to be impressed by the urgent supplication of the Church, during the blessing of holy water, for protection from the infernal enemy, from his cunning and wickedness. This petition recurs in each of the five prayers. For the Catholic Church is deeply convinced that Satan brought on man sin and its sad consequences, and that he never ceases to harm him when he can. As he once made use of the fruit of the tree in Paradise to rob our first parents of God‟s friendship, he continues to use for our destruction the creatures intended for our use. Therefore the Church, by exorcising, prays to God that the devil and his evil influence may give way before holy water and everything with which it is sprinkled. 

2. Protection from Storms and the Damage caused by them. When holy water is being blessed, the Church prays God that wherever holy water is sprinkled, disaster caused by storms may be warded off. 

3. Well-being of the Body. The Church prays that holy water may protect us from illness, especially infectious diseases. 

4. Holy water brings us help and grace for the sanctification of our souls. This is the first aim of all supernatural means of grace. When we sprinkle ourselves devoutly with holy water, the merits of the precious Blood of Jesus are applied to our souls. 

5. Pardon for Venial Sins and the remittance of the temporal punishment due to sin are obtained when we use holy water devoutly and make an act of contrition. This is true in the case of all sacramentals. But there is scarcely any one which we can use for this purpose so easily and conveniently or so frequently as holy water. How many graces we can obtain for our souls, and what an easy way of going through our Purgatory here on earth by frequent devout use of this means of grace! 

6. By using holy water we obtain the assistance of the Holy Ghost, for the Church prays that through the power of holy water, the Holy Ghost may be always present by us. The evil spirit will be expelled; but the divine Spirit, will enter our hearts and our dwellings when we sanctify them by using holy water. 

7. Finally, by holy water consolation and mitigation of punishment can be obtained for the holy souls. We know this from the beautiful ceremonies observed by the Church at the burial of her children. The body, coffin and grave are sprinkled with holy water. The body being blessed, shall rest in consecrated ground; and by God‟s mercy the soul shall be given consolation and mitigation in Purgatory. “As the flowers, withered by the heat of the sun, are refreshed by the gentle shower of rain, so too Heaven‟s flowers burning in Purgatory, are refreshed by holy water.”—(St. Theodatus).