From the Rector’s Desk
January 1, 2004
Hold
on! Although the secular world has
completed the Christmas season days ago, the Church is still celebrating. Before you pack away the last of the
ornaments, we still have the feast of the Epiphany. Although there is no commercial support for this festival, it
does have centuries of Christian tradition to fill it with beauty and
power. The word “epiphany” comes from
the Greek epiphainen, a verb that means, “to shine upon,” “to manifest,” or “to
make known.” Epiphany celebrates the
many ways that Christ has made Himself known to the world, especially through
the visit of the Magi. The Wise Men or
Magi who brought gifts to the infant Jesus were the first Gentiles to
acknowledge Jesus as “King” and so were the first to show that Jesus came for
all people and that the work of God in the world would not be limited to only a
few.
On
the Epiphany of Our Lord, January 6, an old tradition has been to have family
and friends gather at the main entrances to homes or apartments (nursing home
quarters, extended care facility, hospital rooms!), and ask God’s blessing on
their dwellings and on all who live or visit there. If you can’t manage a get-together on January 6 or on Epiphany
Sunday, then any day early in January will do just fine. The short liturgy that follows is a way of
marking our homes with sacred symbols as we ask God’s blessing upon those who
live, work, or visit throughout the coming year. In Exodus, the Israelites marked their doors with blood so that the
Lord would pass over their homes; but in this service, we mark our doors with
chalk as a sign that we have invited God’s presence and blessing into our
homes. The chalk represents human
flesh, created by God from clay, and is used as an emblem of the incarnation. Whether you live alone or with others,
gather inside or outside the front door.
This is a great time to include your family pets. St. Francis Day is not the only feast that
they can join in on.
Traditionally
we remember the names of the Magi as Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar -- although
these names are not to be found in Scripture.
During the chalking ceremony, the first letters of these three names --
C, M, B -- are inscribed on the doorframe.
Some suggest the C M B may also stand for “Christus, Mansionem
Benedicat,” meaning “Christ bless the house.”
These letters are inscribed between the numbers of the year of the
ceremony 20 + C + M + B + 04.
The symbols are usually written on the upper
horizontal piece of the doorframe of the front entrance; but if younger
children or people in wheelchairs participate encourage them to place the
symbols anywhere on the doorframe they can comfortably reach. To find out more about fun filled activities
for the season check out the book, Winter Celebrating the Season in a
Christian Home. (Liturgy
Training Publications)
Chalking the Door
Copyright: 1996,
2002 Paul Bosch & André Lavergne. Life
Up Your Hearts web site
http://www.worship.cal
Used by permission.
(L for “leader”
C for “community”)
L Peace be to this house and to all who enter here.
L A reading from Proverbs: “By wisdom a house is
built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms
are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”
L Let us pray: Gracious God, as a shining star once
guided the magi to the birthplace of the infant Jesus, so enable those who
dwell here to be your light in the world; through Jesus Christ we pray.
C Amen.
Using
chalk (hence, “Chalking the Door”), people are invited to inscribe the lintel
of the home (the horizontal frame above the door) with the inscription shown
below. Each person is afforded a turn
to make one or more of the marks:
20 + C + M + B + 04
L A reading from Isaiah: “The effect of righteousness
is peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful
habitation, in secure dwellings, and quiet places.”
L Let us pray: Sovereign God, we pray that you will
bless this home and all who live here with your gracious presence, that your
love may be our inspiration, your wisdom our guide, your truth our light, and
your peace our benediction; through Jesus Christ we pray.
C Amen.
L Lord, remember your children and teach us to pray:
C Our Father . . .
People may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of their baptism.
L May the Lord watch over our going out and our coming
in, from this time forth and forevermore.
C Amen.
May God bless us all in
the New Year,
Father Mark
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