Dear Brenda:

We will be praying for you. Remember, however, that dreams are mostly about the working out of anxieties, fears, life issues etc. that come from the sub-conscious and are creatively expressed in the form of dreams. It is not unusual for people to have dreams involving tempting situations, especially sexual situations. The dream is not a sin since it is outside of our control. Such dreams, however, can make us vulnerable to indulge in the temptation, especially soon after we awake.

If this happens then say a prayer, a Hail Mary, or a rosary, a morning offering or other prayer upon awakening. Since most temptations come in short windows of opportunity, by the time one finishes the morning prayer, the temptation normally will have left.

In terms of blessing the house, this is always a good idea. If you cannot find a priest who will do this, you can do it yourself with Holy Water and the short prayer form given below.

Every parish should have a Holy Water container (reservoir) available for the faithful to fill up bottles for use at home. It is usually located in the entranceway of the Church. If you cannot find any Holy Water container, then call your parish and the secretary may be able to direct you where the Holy Water reservoir is at. If there is no reservoir, then bring a jar of water and ask the priest to bless it.

If for some weird reason you cannot find any Holy Water to fill a jar that you can take home, and the priest will not bless any for you, then contact me and I will send some to you.

With the Holy Water you can bless your house and specifically your bedroom on a repeated basis with the words, "I bless this room i the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit" while sprinkling the Holy Water. In addition, dipping your fingers into the Holy Water and making the sign of the cross upon yourself can be done daily, throughout the day and each night before you go to bed.

For a formal prayer form to Bless the Home a simple short-version can be given.  This Blessing is designed to be given by the head of the house or his proxy. If a priest is giving the blessing a different form would be used.

[Gather as a household (family, roommates, friends, relatives) in the living room or other room where the entrance to the house is at. Someone should hold a crucifix and another hold a container of Holy Water. If one lives alone, or family members do not wish to participate, then this blessing may be given by one person.]

In the name of the Father, and of the Son +, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Peace be with this house and with all who live here. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

When Christ took flesh through the Blessed Virgin Mary, he made his home with us. Let us now pray that he will enter this home and bless it with his presence. May he always be here among us; may he nurture our love for each other, share in our joys, comfort us in our sorrows. Inspired by his teachings and example, let us seek to make our home before all else a dwelling place of love, diffusing far and wide the goodness of Christ.

Father, as we bless this house in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, we ask that you cover these rooms and this household with the Blood of Your Son; that all offenses committed in them be washed away in Your mercy. Father we ask that You, with Your Divine and Holy power, destroy all demonic strongholds and ground claimed in this place by the devil and his minions. We take back the ground taken by the Evil One and dedicate it to You Lord and to Your Glory and Purpose. We ask that You cleanse this place and make it safe from all evil. We ask of You these things Father, with the intercessions of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints and Angels in heaven, and powerful in the holy name of your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.

[Now go from room to room, beginning with the Entrance, offering prayers of intercession and sprinkling holy water.]

At the entrance:

O God, protect our going out and our coming in; Let us share the hospitality of this home with all who visit us, that those who enter here may know your love and peace.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the living room:

O God, give your blessings to all who share this room, that we may be knit together in companionship.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the kitchen:

O God, you fill the hungry with good things. Send your blessing on us, as we work in this kitchen, and make us ever thankful for our daily bread.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the dining room:

Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth, for you give us food and drink to sustain our lives and make our hearts glad. Help us to be grateful for all your mercies, and mindful of the needs of others.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the bedrooms:

Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, we may rest in his peace.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the bathroom:

Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth. You formed us in wisdom and love. Refresh us in body and in spirit, and keep us in good health that we might serve you.

Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Return to the starting place. A cross or icon is kissed by each person, and then put in a permanent place of honor. A candle may be lighted before it.

All recite the Lord's Prayer.

The Leader speaks the prayer of blessing:

Be our shelter, Lord, when we are at home, our companion when we are away, and our welcome guest when we return. and at last receive us into the dwelling place  you have prepared for us in your Father's house, where you live for ever and ever.

Amen.

All make the sign of the cross as the leader concludes:

May the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, and may the word of Christ in all its richness dwell in us, so that whatever we do in word and in work, we will do in the name of the Lord.

Amen.

_________________________
The text above is our adaptation from the Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, Bishop's Committee on the Liturgy, National Conference of Catholic Bishops ? 1988, pp. 297-301, and the adaptation of it used by the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Parish in Arlington, VA., and excerpts from the St. Padre Pio Center of Deliverance Counseling "Spiritual Warfare House Blessing".

In addition to this house blessing I would advise praying the Hedge Prayer for Protection of Household from our Spiritual Warfare Prayer catalog. There are other prayers in that catalog that may be useful to you.

Then, before you go to bed each night, with the Holy Water, make the sign of the Cross and recite the following prayer:

Father in heaven, strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints and Angels of Heaven, and powerful in the holy authority of the name of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, I subject my mind and my dreams only to the work of the Holy Spirit. I ask you Lord to bind up all powers of darkness and forbid them to work in my dreams or any part of my subconscious while I sleep. Amen.

This hopefully will take care of any intrusions into your dreams from the Enemy. But, remember, most dreams originate in the psychological realm, so these prayer forms may not necessarily take away all disturbing dreams. Usually, once the life issues that cause such dreams are resolved, the dreams will go away.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

P.S. The full Spiritual Warfare Version of a House Blessing will be published online at a future date.