How To Use Catholic Incense at Home (The Holy Smoke)

Having been a Christian with 15 years in Christian ministry, I am always invited to attend other missions held by different churches. Recently, I was honored to attend a mission organized by a Catholic church, and I was curious to attend and learn a few things from the mission. During one of the sermons, I kept seeing something like smoke being swayed by boys I came to know were altar boys. The speaker also told us that we could burn incense in our homes and use it, as it can be used there too. This left me wondering how to use Catholic incense at Home.

So, join me to the end as we see the significance of incense in the catholic church, why Catholics use incense in their mass, and how you can use incense outside the church. I will also discuss the best type of incense you can use at home, among others.

What is the significance of incense in the catholic church?

Incense is used in the catholic church to signify the presence of God among the believers. When incense is burned in the catholic church, there is smoke and a smell of burning that is usually experienced. The smoke is believed to represent the faith that Christians should have in Christ, while the smell is believed to represent the Christian virtues every believer should uphold.

Incense is also used in the Catholic Church to signify the burnt offering believers are offering to God. Although burning sacrifices to God is not being practiced anymore, offering a burnt sacrifice to God was something honorable to God. So, the catholic church burns incense to represent their offerings to God, as they do not physically offer real animal burnt sacrifices.

Incense is also used in the catholic church to signify the prayers the believers have made. It is believed that when catholic believers pray, and the incense smoke rises to the sky, it is believed that God has accepted their prayers and requests to him.

Incense is also used in the Catholic church to signify purification/holiness. As believers, we tend to commit sins that we know of and those we do not know of against God. Presenting the smoke from the incest is our way of the Father purifying the whole church and making them holy again before God so that God can be merciful to hear their prayers.

Why do the Catholics use incense in their mass?

Catholics use incense in their mass during the entrance procession to make the church holy and the believers pure. Before the mass, the catholic priest, the catechists, and the altar boys will walk towards the altar, with one or two altar boys carrying the already burning incense. The priest will then use it to bless the altar before the mass starts to ensure they sit in a holy place.

Catholics also use incense at the procession before the Gospel is read and during the proclamation of the Gospel, to bless the word before it is read to the congregation. In the catholic church, incense is believed to connect heaven and the earth, so using it before the Gospel ensures that the word that will be read will positively impact the believers in the church.

Catholics also use incense in their mass after the bread, and the chalice has been placed on the altar to bless it. Incense can also be used during the mass to bless the offerings that have been given, the cross of Jesus Christ and the altar, and the priest and all believers at large.

Catholics also use incense during mass on the vigil of Easter to represent the five wounds that Jesus Christ got when he was crucified. Five grains of incense are usually put in the paschal candle to represent the nail wounds on Jesus’ hands and feet and the wound he got from the spear thrust into his side.

How do you use incense outside the church?

You can use incense during any major ceremony that needs to be blessed. For instance, you can use incense to celebrate opening a new business or even a new home. You can use incense to bless whatever building you intend to live in or conduct business in it for it to be blessed.

You can also use incense during your yoga exercise or meditation period. Incense is believed to make someone feel calm and relaxed and can therefore be used to create a calm and beautiful atmosphere. The fragrance of the smoke from the incense will also drive away any other negative thoughts in your mind making you fully concentrate on the activity you are doing, be it meditation or yoga.

Incense can also be used during funerals to purify the departed. Incense is believed to bring a sense of tranquility and peace to the departed so they can transition easily to heaven, especially if they have been stuck in purgatory.

Incense can also be used outside the church for medicinal or healing purposes. Different herbs can be combined with incense, and the sick can inhale the smoke, which may make them feel better.

Another way incense can be used outside the church is to act as home décor, in the sense that it adds a beautiful fragrance smell around your home. Incense is known to produce the most beautiful and strong smell and can therefore act as the best ‘spray around your home.

You can also use incense for personal use, as incense is believed to bring positivity and good energy around a person. You can light up your incense and place it somewhere safe around your house, hop in for a shower, or even relax as you read some books.

Incense can also be used to aid sleep, especially if you are an individual that is struggling with sleep. Some plant flavors or smells are said to bring or increase one’s desire to sleep, like chamomile; therefore, you can burn it if you are desperate for some sleep.

What is the best type of incense to use at home?

There are two major types of incense that most people use at home. One is the incense stick, while the other one is resin incense. Knowing which type of incense is best for you to burn at home to enjoy it and not have a tragic aftermath is important.

First, most people prefer to use resin incense because it does not contain any additives. With this, you are sure your incense won’t produce harmful chemicals or smoke that can negatively affect you. Another great reason that resin incense may be the best type of resin is that it is usually good quality, resulting in a very clean smoke burn. When using resin incense, you will not experience thick smoke that is hard to dissolve in the air. You will also prevent the trouble of opening more windows or doors to allow smoke to get out of the house if you are using resin incense.

Resin incense is also considered the best type of incense to use at home, as you can combine two or more resin incense to get the desired flavor and aroma of your burning incense. If you are looking for the best quality resin incense, I recommend you try the copal, benzoin, or frankincense resin incense.

Incense sticks are also good to use if you do not have any respiratory condition or if you are looking for a relatively cheaper incense, you can find. However, several people prefer something other than this type of incense because it tends to produce thicker smoke, which may fill the whole house, and one can end up choking on it if not careful.

How do you burn incense at home?

You can burn incense at home using two methods, depending on the type of incense you are using. Below is how you can burn incense using resin incense;

Materials

• Your preferred type of resin
• A lighter
• Charcoal
• Incense holder/burner
• Tongs

Steps to follow when burning incense using a resin incense

1. Prepare your incense burner or holder and ensure that it is clean.
2. Pick a piece of charcoal using your tongs and light it up using your burner.
3. After the charcoal is lit, carefully place it into your incense holder and sprinkle your resin incense around it.
4. Carefully close your incense holder if it has a lid, and allow the incense to burn slowly as you enjoy the aroma that is coming from it.
5. If you intend to use the incense for a while, keep checking on it as you add another resin incense.
6. If you finish using your incense, you can put it out by picking up your burning charcoal with tongs and dipping it into water.
7. Keep your incense holder in a safe place for future use.

If you are using ordinary incense sticks to burn your incense, all you will need is the sticks and a source of the fire. After lighting your incense stick, carefully place it on the holder to be stable enough to burn through. After you are done using your incense, you can put the remaining burning stick out by dipping it into the water so that it completely stops producing any smoke.

How do you use incense at home?

You can use incense at home to unwind from a busy week or when you need to relax your mind. The fragrance of incense is known to calm one’s heart and bring peace to the surrounding. Burning incense at your home is the best way to relax your mind as you rest from a busy week or day without interruption. You can do this while taking a private bath, reading a book, or listening to your favorite music.

You can also use incense in the comfort of your home to drive away any anxiety or reduce your stress levels. Lighting up the best type of incense, like rosemary or lavender, and letting yourself feel the smoke can aid in reducing the stress levels in your body and calming your body down by focusing on one thing,

You can use incense at your home by tapping into your creativity. Different flavors of resin incense, such as lemongrass or citrus, activate the creative mind, and you can use this to tap into your creative mind if you wish to explore it.

Incense can also be used at home to drive away any negative thoughts or energy that you may pick on. Several people might sense when their surroundings have changed, and bad energy or spirit is hovering around them. You can burn incense to drive away any negative energy not needed around your home.

If you are a spiritual person, you can also use incense when praying or meditating. Incense is believed to make a space holy or pure, and you can burn it to make your home a holy and pure place to carry out your prayers.