Catechism Corner | House Blessing

These ritual blessings, accompanied by the sprinkling of holy water, are well known to the priest. Rooted in the wisdom of the Church, they are enthusiastically received by the faithful. A practice whose roots go back to the liturgy of the people of Israel. Of all the possible blessings, —for a workplace, a store, a vehicle, —the one for under the roof and between the walls of a home reflects something particularly profound. "This practice has its roots in the liturgy of the people of Israel. It evokes the blood of the Passover lamb that the Hebrews painted around their doors before the flight to Egypt.

"During the first centuries, the time of persecution, the faith was practiced within the home, in the domus ecclesiae, the 'house church'. The first Christian liturgies were celebrated in homes."

The home is central to many passages of the Bible, from Abraham's hospitality, to Jesus' visits to Martha, Mary, Zacchaeus, etc. It also resonates with what Jesus tells his missionary disciples: "Whenever you enter someone's home, first say, 'May God's peace be on this house'" (Luke 10:5) —a peace that settles in and extends, as well, to all those who live there.

Why is the home/office blessed?
The blessing of houses or other objects, including the category of sacramentals, which, like the sacraments, are intended to sanctify every important event in the life of the faithful (cf. Second Vatican Council on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium/ SC61). On the Church's intercession, the sacramental (in this case, the blessing of the house) brings spiritual effects to those who live in it (cf. SC 60), both protection from the power of evil, as well as the grace of harmony and love in the family. So, the main purpose of the sacramentals is to sanctify the faithful who use certain blessed things, and not just to sanctify the things themselves. So, if a house has been blessed, but the previous owner has moved, it is good if the new owner holds a house blessing, not because of doubts about the sacramental effects that have been given, but asking that the sacramental grace that has a sanctifying effect can be given to -and experienced by the new family who occupied it.

Among the faithful, some wish to protect, or even free, their house from all bad influences. Because We don't necessarily know what happened before we got the house. The home is a place of spiritual combat, like any church. So, when house blessing is an opportunity to pray for the people who have died there when they weren't prepared for it."

The priest then uses blessed water and salt, incense, and oil to anoint the doors and windows. simple, because the blessing is generally held with holy water, then what is needed is a certain amount of water and salt. A little salt to be mixed into the water, which at the prayers of the priest, will be a means of purifying. This is like what the prophet Elisha did, when he healed/purified the waters at Jericho (cf. 2 Ki. 2:20-22).