Tomorrow is the traditional date of Ephiphany (the Twelfth of the Twelve Days of Christmas); it's also the day for a charmingly traditional house blessing. You need a piece of chalk for this.
At the point of the prayer with the "+", write the initials of the Three Kings in between the numerals of the New Year: 20+C+M+B+09 over the front door of your house. That would be "Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar 2009", not some strange algebraic formula!
Blessed are you Lord, God of all Creation: You bless us with your gift of chalk. Today, with a shining star you guided three strangers to your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. In love, the Holy Family welcomed them as guests.
Through the intercession of Saints Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar, grant that we who bless + our homes with this chalk may be filled with kindness toward one another and with hospitality to all those we welcome in the name of your Beloved Son, who comes among us to announce a year of favor, a year of grace, and who is Lord for ever and ever. Amen.
(That "announcing a year of favor" is a hint of the proclamation for the feast of Epiphany: a long chant in which the date of Easter--and from it, all the other feasts of the year--is announced.)
Monday, January 05, 2009
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1 comment:
I have inscribed above my door in a special chalk everything you have stated with the exception of the year which was 2008. I no longer am in possession of the particular chalk which was given to me. Why won't another piece of chalk suffice? It would be only one number 9? I understand that the chalk was blessed.
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