Epiphany House Blessing

Epiphany, which is also known as “Little Christmas,” is the feast that celebrates the arrival of the three Magi who had come to worship the Child Jesus shortly after his birth. The traditional date of Epiphany is January 6, but in most places it is celebrated on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8. On the feast of Epiphany, Catholics bless their homes by writing the letters C, M and B and the numbers of the year at the top of their doors. 

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Three Wise Men

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Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar... these are the names of the three wise men of the Orient we find in every nativity scene, complete with crowns and camels.

 

Yet, if you look closely at the gospel account of the ‘wise men’ (Matthew 2:1-12), you won’t find these names. In fact, there is no mention of Magi or Kings, how many of them there actually were, and whether or not they were riding on camels.

 

The image of the Magi in our manger scenes comes to us by unwritten tradition, but it is also connected to Old Testament prophecies in the Book of Isaiah and Psalms written hundreds of years before the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem. Isaiah 60 speaks of a light rising from the darkness, towards which the peoples will journey. Among them are kings:

 

And nations shall come to your light,

    and kings to the brightness of your rising (v.3)

A multitude of camels shall cover you,
   the young camels of Mid′ian and Ephah;
   all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
   and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. (v.6)
 

Psalm 72 corroborates the voyage of kings from far off lands, who bring gifts to a great king:

May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles
   render him tribute,
May the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! (v.10)
 

The little ‘t’ tradition of the Church sees the story of the Magi as a fulfillment of Isaiah 60 and Psalm 72.

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The Gifts

 

The Book of Isaiah mentions only two of the three gifts that were brought to the Christ child; namely, gold and frankincense. Myrrh comes to us on its own, but there is a rich symbolism connected to each of these gifts.

 

• Myrrh is an aromatic resin that was used in the ancient Near East for preparing the dead for burial. The gift of myrrh implies that the child in the manger has come to die.

• Gold is that well known precious metal that indicates that the infant in the manger is a king.

• Frankincense (and possibly many types of incense) was burned in ancient times, in homage to the ‘gods’. It tells us that us that the babe in the creche is God. 

 

All three gifts of the Magi together convey the epiphany (revelation) of who this child is and what he is destined to do. Maybe that’s why for hundreds of years we’ve sung of three kings, not two or four. The mystics of the Church also point to three kings.

 

The word epiphany means “appearance”, or “manifestation”. In keeping with the theme of revelation, theancient Church annually celebrated Epiphany occasions:

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1. Epiphany, where Jesus is revealed as Messiah and God in the creche.

2. At Jesus’ first public miracle in Cana, which today is not a feast day, and

3. The Baptism of Our Lord, where Jesus is revealed as the beloved Son of God.

 

In the early Church, Epiphany was second only to Easter vigil as the time to celebrate baptisms. Blessed water from those baptisms was used to bless the dwellings of the faithful, and it became customary to write the figures “C+B+M” above the doors of their homes using chalk blessed at the Epiphany Mass. The letters are in surrounded by the date and interspersed with crosses in the following manner: 20 + C + M + B + 24

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The meaning of these letters is twofold, and no one really knows which meaning is more ancient: Christus Mansionem Benedicat (May Christ bless this house) and/or the names of the three wise men: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar.

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Epiphany House Blessing (USCCB)

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When all have gathered, a suitable song may be sung. The leader makes the sign of the cross, and all reply, “Amen.” The leader greets those present in the following words:

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Leader: Let us praise God, who fills our hearts and homes with peace. Blessed be God forever.

 

All:  Blessed be God forever.

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In the following or similar words, the leader prepares those present for the blessing:

 

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling place among us. It is Christ who enlightens our hearts and homes with his love. May all who enter this home find Christ’s light and love.

 

One of those present or the leader reads a text of sacred Scripture, for example, Luke 19:1-9:

 

Listen to the words of the holy Gospel according to Luke: Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.”

 

The intercessions are then said:

 

Leader: The Son of God made his home among us. With thanks and praise let us call upon him.

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All:  Stay with us, Lord.

 

Leader:  Lord Jesus Christ, with Mary and Joseph you formed the Holy Family: remain in our home, that we may know you as our guest and honor you as our Head. We pray: 

 

All:  Stay with us, Lord.

 

Leader:  Lord Jesus Christ, you had no place to lay your head, but in the spirit of poverty accepted the hospitality of your friends: grant that through our help the homeless may obtain proper housing. We pray: 

 

All:  Stay with us, Lord.

 

Leader: Lord Jesus Christ, the three kings presented their gifts to you in praise and adoration: grant that those living in this house may use their talents and abilities to your greater glory. We pray:

 

All:  Stay with us, Lord.

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After the intercessions the leader invites all present to say the Lord’s Prayer. The leader says the prayer of blessing with hands joined:

 

Leader: Lord God of heaven and earth, you revealed your only-begotten Son to every nation by the guidance of a star. Bless this house and all who inhabit it. Fill them (us) with the light of Christ, that their (our) concern for others may reflect your love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

 

All: Amen.

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The leader concludes the rite by signing himself or herself with the sign of the cross and saying:

 

Leader: May Christ Jesus dwell with us, keep us from all harm, and make us one in mind and heart, now and forever.

 

All:  Amen.

 

It is preferable to end the celebration with a suitable song, for example, “O Come, All Ye Faithful” or “We Three Kings.”