Today is Epiphany Sunday where we celebrate the visit of the three kings/Magi/Wise men of the east who followed a star to the baby Jesus the newborn king of the Jews.
The feast is traditionally celebrated on January 6th but is transferred to Sunday in the US. Depending on the vagaries of the Calendar the day can be celebrated as early as January 2nd (If Christmas falls on a Saturday) or as late as January the 8th (if Christmas falls on a Sunday).
Where it falls also determines how long the Christmas season lasts. The final day of Christmas is the movable feast of the Baptism of Jesus.
- If Jan 6th is a Sunday Epiphany is celebrated on its traditional date and the Christmas season ends on Sunday January 13th with the feast of the Baptism of Jesus on Sunday
- If the 6th falls on a Monday to Thursday it is transferred to the previous Sunday moving making The Feast of the Baptism of Christ and the last day of Christmas anywhere from Jan 9th to Jan 12th.
- If it falls on a Friday or Saturday as it did this year it is transferred to the following Sunday (the 8th or the 7th). That becomes the Last Sunday of Christmas and the 1st Sunday of Ordinary time and the feast of the Baptism of Christ transfers to Monday (the 9th or 8th) making Monday the final day of Christmas season.
Thus this year we get the shortest possible Christmas season ending tomorrow. Next year with the 6th falling on a Monday we’ll get four extra days of Christmas. (Of course in the old calendar Christmas officially ended on Feb 2nd the feast of the presentation but I digress…).
The feast of Epiphany is extremely significant in the history of Christianity in several ways:
- It’s another external confirmation of the message of the angel to Mary and the Dream of Joseph.
- It is the first example of Christ being “a light of revelation to the gentiles.” (non-Jews).
- The kings prostrating to Christ as Lord rather than as an equal signifies Christ as king of all.
- It shows Christ has come both for rich & poor as only the rich could make the trip of the wise men
- It sets the stage for the flight into Egypt as Herod, upon hearing of their coming attempts to slaughter the child in the murder of the holy innocents.
- The gifts of Gold and Frankincense note Christ Kingship
- The gift of Myrrh symbolizes his death
It has also led to a great Christian tradition the blessing and annual chalking of homes on the feast.
If you’ve ever visited the EWTN studios you likely have noticed chalk over all the doorways, If you visit the studio after today you will see the following:
20 C + M + B 24
The 20 and 24 of course representing this current year and the C + M +B representing St. Caspar (Feast day Jan 11th), St. Melchior (Feast day Jan 1st) and St. Balthasar (Feast day Jan 6th). It also (as Churchpop.com notes) stands for the Latin: Christus mansionem benedicat, which translates to “May Christ bless this house.”
This is traditionally done on the 6th but can be done on the feast day itself (I did my home yesterday). In order to do this properly you will need some white chalk which should be blessed an ordained Deacon, Priest or above and you may want some holy water than you can get at any Catholic Church.
There are also prayers to be said. These are the prayers from the conference of Catholic Bishops website the chalking is done at the conclusion of the prayers:
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:
Let us praise God, who fills our hearts and homes with peace. Blessed be God forever.
R/. Blessed be God forever.
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.
R/. 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:
R/. 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:
R/. 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:
R/. Stay with us, Lord.
After the intercessions the leader invites all present to say the Lord’s Prayer.
The leader says the prayer of blessing with hands joined:
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.
R/. Amen.
The leader concludes the rite by signing himself or herself with the sign of the cross and saying:
May Christ Jesus dwell with us,
keep us from all harm,
and make us one in mind and heart,
now and forever.
R/. Amen.
It is preferable to end the celebration with a suitable song, for example, “O Come, All Ye Faithful” or “We Three Kings.”
That’s the blessing I used this year. Last year I used this excellent blessing which you can find at Churchpop.com. As with the blessing from the USCCB the chalking takes place after the prayers
Priest/Leader: Peace be to this house.
All: And to all who dwell herein.
Leader: From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.
After these prayers are recited, journey throughout your home and sprinkle each room with holy water–you can get some from your parish.
Afterward, you may continue with the blessing:
All: From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.
Leader: Our Father Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead and lead us not into temptation,
All: But deliver us from evil.
Leader: All they from Saba shall come.
All: Bringing gold and frankincense.
Leader: O Lord, hear my prayer.
All: And let my cry come unto Thee.
Leader: Let us pray. O God, who by the guidance of a star didst on this day manifest Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we who know Thee by faith may also attain the vision of Thy glorious majesty. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Leader: Be enlightened, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee– Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.
All: And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light and kings in the splendor of thy rising, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.
Leader: Let us pray. Bless, O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfillment of Thy law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home and upon all who dwell herein. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
It is also traditional to sprinkle each room with Holy water at the end. Again if you don’t have holy water you can get some at your local church.
If you’re only hearing about this for the first time today and you have a blizzard blowing out there and can’t get it done today, you have one more day of Christmas to fall back on and get it done. I highly recommend it as it reminds of you of God’s presence every single day in your home.
It’s the final two days of our Days of Christmas and we still have $2345 to go help us make it over the line by donating here
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