Dear Parishioners:

I pray that all survived the snow and cold this past week.  While some were unable to attend our service I wanted to share with you some thoughts on the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, as we concluded our Christmas season. Epiphany is a Feast Day within the Church’s liturgical celebration of Christmas. In the current Western tradition, we associate it with the “Visit of the Magi,” recounted in Matthew’s Gospel. (Mt 2:1-12). Epiphany is traditionally celebrated the 12th day after Christmas, (Twelfth Night), January 6th. In the Catholic dioceses of the United States this feast has been moved to the Sunday after the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God.

Epiphany takes its name from the Greek epiphania, a manifestation. Jesus, born quietly in Bethlehem’s stable, is revealed, or made manifest, as the Son of God.  In the recognition of Him by the Magi, the Christ, He is revealed to the “nations.”

The Feast Day is associated with three events in the life of Christ when His divinity shines through His humanity: the adoration of the Magi; the baptism of Christ in the Jordan (Mt 3); and the first miracle at the wedding feast of Cana, (Jn 2), The latter two of these were designated as Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, by Pope St. John Paul II in 2002. In these “Mysteries of Light,” we meditate on the revelation of Jesus as the Divine Son of the Father.

There are many traditions associated with the Epiphany.  One of them is The Blessing of Chalk and Doorways

This activity involves blessing chalk, which, then is used to mark the doorways of our homes with the year (2025) and the initials of the traditional names of the Three Kings:

Caspar (C)

Melchior (M)

Balthasar (B)

Families take blessed chalk and ideally the Dad and Mom, mark the frame of the entrance to the home with the date and initials:

20 + C + M + B + 23

The practice invokes a blessing on all those who live in the house, and – in remembrance of the Magi - all visitors to the home.

Christmas Blessings!

Msgr John Shamleffer