Blessing Homes

​The ritual of blessing homes in January is connected to the Solemnity of the Epiphany. Epiphany means “manifestation”, that moment when we suddenly understand something that previously was hidden from us. The antiphon for the Gospel Canticle at Evening Prayer illustrates the three events associated with the feast.

Three mysteries mark this holy day:

• today the star leads the Magi to the infant Christ;
• today water is changed into wine for the wedding feast;
• today Christ wills to be baptized by John in the river Jordan to bring us salvation.

Christmas is about the Incarnation, the coming down of the Son of God to become human, one of us. Epiphany is the showing of the Christ Child’s divinity, which is beginning to manifest itself in the world.

The tradition of blessing doorways is inspired by the three Magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, who followed the star to a manger in Bethlehem where the Messiah was made manifest for them in the person of a newborn child. The Magi showed great hospitality when they came to honour the Messiah. The blessing of our own doorway reminds us to welcome strangers and travellers into our midst as though each were Jesus himself. Incidentally, the tradition of carolling is also associated with the journey of the Magi and is a suitable way of announcing the manifestation of the Christ Child in song.

Here is a simple prayer service to use at home when blessing the doorway. Or download it as PDF here.

Gather everyone in a convenient place and make the sign of the Cross.

Leader:  The Magi followed a star to find God in a tiny child. Let us imitate them in seeking the Saviour manifest in our world.   R/:  Amen.

Reading
Matthew 2:1-12

If you have a crêche, move the magi to the scene. 

Blessing
To bless the doorway, write over the doorway with chalk the first two digits of the year, the initials of each of the Magi, and the last digits of the year, e.g. 20 + C + M + B + 14.  The initials correspond to the first letter of each word in the simple prayer, Christus Mansionem Benedicat, Christ bless this house. You may wish to say these words as you mark the doorway.

Prayer                 
Lord Jesus, in your humble state you welcomed kings and shepherds alike. May all who pass through this doorway — poor or rich, suffering or rejoicing, stranger or friend — be welcomed as the King Himself. Grant peace to this house and to the house of our hearts that we may seek and find you in everyone we meet. You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  R/:  Amen. 

Photo credit: T. Fung. Used with permission.