It has been a tradition in the Catholic Church to bless chalk for parishioners to use for blessing one’s home in the New Year. Chalk can be found in the back of Church.
Chalking the door is a way to celebrate, and literally mark, the occasion of the Epiphany & God’s blessing of our lives and homes.
Using the blessed chalk, mark the current year and the initials of the Magi above the outside doorways of your home. Place a cross between each of the letters:
20+C+M+B+23
After completing the markings, pray the following prayer:
May all who come to our home this year
Rejoice to find Christ living among us;
And may we seek and serve,
In everyone we meet,
That same Jesus who is Lord of all people,
Forever and ever. Amen
What does C+M+B represent?
Casper, Melchior and Balthasar (The traditional names of the Magi)
The letters also represent these Latin words:
CHRISTUS MANSIONEM BENEDICAT
That Latin transaltes to:
MAY CHRIST BLESS THIS HOUSE
When Bishop Hying visited Watertown for a three-night event, he presented reflections on the life-changing power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, looking at the core beliefs of our faith in the Lord and how we live them out in today's world. If you weren't able to join us - or you would like to review what you learned - we invite you to view the recorded talks from each evening to help you grow in your understanding of the Gospel and the call to be disciples
Sunday May 1
https://venue.streamspot.com/video/b2c085e5ec
Monday May 2
https://venue.streamspot.com/video/f13d0ad19f
Tuesday May 3
Creation. Capture. Rescue. Response. Sound familiar? If you were able to attend our recent Mission with Bishop Hying, you heard him talk about the Kerygma - the Proclamation of the Gospel, the Good News. We learned first that we were created to be in relationship with God and destined for eternal glory. When we questioned that relationship, and whether or not God really had our best interests at heart, we were captured in our sin and separated ourselves from God. The Gospel goes on, however, to share the story of how God rescued us by his birth, death and resurrection. Finally, we were asked: “If this is our story, how do we respond?”
That response is what we are focusing on in the Bishop’s Go Make Disciples initiative. For a deeper look at what the Good News means to us as Catholics, watch Fr. John Riccardos’s Someone Has Come to Fight/The Kerygma on YouTube, or Chris Stefanick’s Kerygma: The Message That Changed the World on Formed.org. Links are available below.
Finally, consider sharing any of these resources with someone who might benefit from these messages of hope. In that way, you are sharing in the missionary discipleship that Bishop Hying has challenged us to be a part of!
Learn more about the Kerygma:
Someone Has Come to Fight
Kerygma: The Message that Changed the World
May 15 Bulletin: Read the Pentecost account in the Acts of the Apostles: USCCB
May 29 Bulletin: Prayer resource: At the Heart of Prayer
July: Litany of the Precious Blood