Today our students will be coming home with a special Epiphany Home Blessing Kit, organized by the SJS school board Catholic Identity Committee and assembled by our Student Council yesterday afternoon under the guidance of Mrs. LaMarche and Mrs. Jones.

Teachers shared information with students about how to use these kits during school today, but here is some additional information for parents:

After Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, the Holy Family was visited by three Magi from the east. They came to worship Christ and bring him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Feast of Epiphany is celebrated on (or about) the 12th Day of Christmas, January 6th.  For Epiphany, it is traditional for families to bless their homes, remembering the hospitality of the Holy Family to the Wise Men and asking for protection and blessing on the home and all who enter.

The home blessing is done by writing on the door or door frame with chalk the symbols 20+C+M+B+22. The 20 and 22 represent the current year. The + reminds us of the cross on which our Savior died. The C, M, and B stand for the traditional names of the Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, as well as an abbreviation for the Latin phrase, “Christus mansionem benedicat” which means “Christ bless this house.” Writing on the door also brings to mind the Passover of the Jews during the final plague in Exodus, when the blood of the lamb protected the inhabitants within.

In your special SJS at-home kit, you will find a piece of black cardstock, white chalk to write on the cardstock with, and string to attach for hanging the sign.  A booklet with additional information and instructions is also included.

We would love to see pictures of our students (or families) showing the sign that they made hanging at their house.  If you would be willing to submit a picture to us, please send to Amy Guenther at aguenther@saintjamesschool.net.  Please only send pictures that you would be comfortable with us sharing in email and/or on social media should we choose to do so.