…pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. James 5:16b

For years, right before I went to bed, I’d bless my kids with holy water as they slept. However, with the transition of my going back to work, and the chaos of the pandemic, there always seemed to be too many loose ends to tie up before bed. I was too exhausted to do one more thing. So, I stopped, justifying it with the thought that there’s only so much one person can do.

Just Monday, I finally found a minute to go in and bless my kids. For some reason, Mason wasn’t asleep yet. When I approached his bed, he got up, took the holy water bottle from me, and blessed me. It was such a profound moment.

We all feel blessed by our kids at one point or another. But having my son call God down upon me in such an intentional way made me feel empowered, as if anything were possible.

Before this experience, I had no idea just how powerful a blessing could be. Now I realize my mistake. I was letting the greatest weapon in the battle of raising children go unused and collect dust, just because I was too busy. Shame on me!

We all need to use our holy water and prayers to bless and protect those we love, and the world at large. We shouldn’t limit their power by assuming distance is an obstacle.

For years, my mom has been throwing holy water and blessings in whatever direction the one in need is, whether they live in the same town, or across the country. We don’t need to physically lay hands on someone when we invest our hearts enough to touch theirs.

It’s important to note that we should never bless anyone with strings attached. No one is required to bless us in return. But the more love and faith we invest in our benedictions, the more likely we’ll feel blessed as grace and mercy abound.

Question for Reflection:

• Do I recognize the power of holy water and prayer?

• Do I believe either is restricted by distance?