Chalking the Door | Blessing the Home

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Chalking the Door | Blessing the Home The blessing of homes (chalking the front door) is a Catholic tradition that is celebrated on the Feast of the Epiphany (January 3, 2021). The family gathers to ask God’s blessing on their home and family life. Symbols marked on the door in chalk, recalling the how the Israelites in Exodus marked their doors with blood asking the Lord to pass over their homes. Rather than to pass over, this is an invitation for Christ to come into our homes to be a daily guest, especially within the heart of the family. Meaning of the Symbols The symbols to be drawn in chalk are letters and numbers. The first and last numbers refer to the current year. The letters C M B are in the middle and have a double meaning: 1. They refer to the names traditionally associated with the three Kings that visit Jesus in the Nativity: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. 2. They are the first letters of the Latin blessing “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” which means “May Christ bless this dwelling!” In between the numbers and the letters is the “+” sign, which represents the Cross. Instructions Gather your family around the front door, with blessed chalk in hand (non-blessed chalk is fine too). You may choose to begin with a familiar song, such as: We Three Kings; The First Nowell; O Little Town of Bethlehem; How Bright Appears the Morning Star, etc. Designate a leader to pray: May all who come to our home this year rejoice to find Christ living among us; and may we seek and serve, in everyone we meet, that same Jesus who is your incarnate Word, now and forever. Amen. Family members may take turns making the inscription with chalk on the door (or above the door/beside the door/etc., if the door is the same color as the chalk) as a leader prays: The three Wise Men, [C] Caspar, [M] Melchior, [B] and Balthazar followed the star to Bethlehem and the child Jesus [20] two thousand [21] and twenty one years ago. [+ +] May Christ bless our home [+ +], and remain with us throughout the New Year. Amen. Inscription to be made will look like this: 20 + C + M + B + 21 You may choose to end with another familiar song as listed above, or of your own choosing. The chalk stays on the door until it naturally fades or washes away. .

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