House Blessing

A venerable Catholic tradition for the Feast of the Epiphany is the blessing of homes, and this year we observed this tradition at Old College . . . if a week late, on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, because we were still on break for Epiphany.

The tradition involves the blessing of chalk, which is used to mark the door of the home with the year and the names of the Three Kings: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar.

Here, I am assisted by Deacon Gerry Olinger (whom I succeeded as assistant director and now serves at the University of Portland) who was visiting for the day, and by collegian Bob Dunsmuir. Deacon Gerry holds the water used to bless the home, while Bob holds the blessed chalk used to mark the door, and the blessed salt used in the blessing of holy water.

And here, I am inscribing the letters and numbers on the door of Old College.

The blessing service I used, began with the following introduction:

"During these days of the Christmas season, we celebrate the manifestation of Christ to the Magi, to John in the River Jordan, and to the disciples at the wedding at Cana. Today Christ is manifest to us. Today this home is a holy place."

. . . used the blessing of chalk:

"Bless, O Lord God, this creature chalk 
to render it helpful to your people. Grant that they who use it in faith
 and with it inscribe upon the doors of their homes
 the names of your saints, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar,
 may through their merits and intercession
 enjoy health of body and protection of soul, through Christ our Lord. Amen."

. . . and concluded with a blessing of the house, and in turn, its individual rooms:

"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 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. Fill us with the light of Christ, that our love for each other may go out to all the world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

I also explained that the letters CMB not only indicate the names of the three kings, they also abbreviate the Latin phrase, Christus Mansionem Benedicat, which means, Christ Blesses this Home.

We've continued to have light snow showers and cold temperatures these past several days, and the campus is simply beautiful. So I'll close with some random shots of our Holy Cross community cemetery and St. Mary's Lake right outside my window: