On January 7th, the Church celebrated the Epiphany of the Lord.
After putting some thought into small ways we could bring the Wise Men’s journey into our Domestic Church, here’s what I came up with:
⁃ Traditional Home Blessing in chalk above the front door (this sounds like it’s pretty standard worldwide to do for Epiphany! I just added a Pentatonix song to ours.)
⁃ Glow stars (yeah, like the ones from the 90’s you put up on the ceiling with putty.)
⁃ Star garland to hang at front and back doors
⁃ “Wise Men Still Seek Jesus” table runner (nice little Amazon find)
⁃ Decorative box that holds the gifts the wise men presented to baby Jesus (this was actually a pre-Christmas gift from my sister/sister-in-law. It was just going to sit out as pretty decor until I realized there was a learning purpose for it!)
I’m super big on BLESSINGS. They’re like an extra little boost of “good” for everyday things. I found this Epiphany Home Blessing on Catholic-Link.
With star garland hung over the front door & chalk in hand, I read the blessing out loud to my little ones – who listened as well as you might imagine a busy toddler and infant could listen.
We got through it with only a few minor incidents… Mac, very unsure of why an adult would need to use his step stool, reluctantly retrieved the stepper so I could reach to write the chalk blessing above the door.
To conclude the Home Blessing, I played a festive Pentatonix number:
Sunday morning before Mass, I was able to open up our box of precious GIFTS from the wise men and call Mac’s attention to it. The Magnificat had a REALLY good intro for the Epiphany celebration on January 7th, describing the wise men and the reason behind each gift given to the tiny Messiah. Although I ended up having to swat Mac’s hand away (no less than 5 times) from the loose frankincense & Myhr in our beautiful box, I finally managed to get the intro read aloud while all still at the kitchen table.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way. Matthew 2:1-9, 11-12 NABRE
