Sirach,
Chapter 3, Verse 7
Those who fear the Lord honor
their father, and serve their parents as masters.
Traditionally
today is the Feast of the Epiphany or the day the three kings presented gifts
to Christ. They are an example of men who overcame great obstacles and their
own fears to come and present gifts to our Lord. They also being wise men knew
that they could not trust Herod when he asked them to return to him and tell
him where Christ was. It is not always possible to get to a win-win situation
and we must also use our wisdom as the three Kings did and know when we must
fight, run, do nothing, compromise or prepare for growth.
Now is the time to plan
to attend a religious retreat or conference before Easter. This book was
conceived after attending a Marian conference.[1]
Today would also be a
good time to honor your Father in heaven by marking your home in chalk;
publicly stating who’s you are.
Every year the Carmelite Pre-novitiate Community at Carith House in Chicago on the Feast of the Epiphany blesses their home.
We invite you to adopt this custom in your family. The family gathers to ask God’s blessing on their home and on those who live in or visit the home. It is an invitation for Jesus to be a daily guest in our home, our comings and goings, our conversations, our work and play, our joys and sorrows.
A traditional way of doing this is to use chalk to write above the home’s entrance, 20 + C + M + B + 16. The letters C, M, B have two meanings. They are the initials of the traditional names of the three magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. They also abbreviate the Latin words Christus mansionem benedicat, “May Christ bless the house.” The “+” signs represent the cross and 2016 is the year.
Blessing the Chalk
V. Our help is the name of the Lord:
R. The maker of heaven and earth.
V. The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in:
R. From this time forth for evermore.
Let us pray.
Loving God, bless this chalk which you have created, that it may be helpful to your people; and grant that through the invocation of your most Holy Name that we who use it in faith to write upon the door of our home the names of your holy ones Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, may receive health of body and protection of soul for all who dwell in or visit our home; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Instructions for Blessing the Home
Using the blessed chalk mark the lintel of your front door (or front porch step) as follows:
20 + C + M + B + 16 while saying:
The three Wise Men, Caspar,
Melchior, and Balthazar followed the star of God’s Son who became human two
thousand and fifteen years ago. May Christ bless our home and remain with us
throughout the new year. Amen.
Then offer the following prayer: Visit,
O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who
live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may manifest
your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace
and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in
peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen
“Chalking the door” is a way to
celebrate and literally mark the occasion of the Epiphany and God’s blessing of
our lives and home. With time the chalk will fade. As it does we let the
meaning of the symbols written sink into the depths of our heart and be
manifest in our words and actions the Latin words, Christus mansionem
benedictat, “May Christ bless the house.”[2]
Whoever
acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. We have come to know and to believe in the
love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love
remains in God and God in him. In this is love brought to
perfection among us, that we have confidence on the Day of Judgment because as
he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear
has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.
We love because he first loved us. (1 Jn 4:15-19)
Beloved, if God so loved us,
we also must love one another.
No one has ever seen God.
Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us. (Jn. 4:11-12)
No one has ever seen God.
Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us. (Jn. 4:11-12)
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