Tomorrow is the Feast of the Epiphany, which is when the Three Kings visited the Child Jesus and gave Him their gifts. This marks the end of the Christmas Season – but it is a feast that is filled with joy! God has come into the world and is revealed to the nations! The Kings bring him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, which mark Jesus as the new Solomon, the new King of Israel. These gifts also allude to a wedding feast, a time of celebration. Myrrh was traditionally used in weddings, and Mary Magdalene washed Jesus’ feet with myrrh, signifying His wedding to His Bride, the Church, through his Death.
One of our customs for Epiphany is chalking the door. Above each door to the house, the symbols 20 + K + M + B + 17 are written in chalk that is blessed by a priest. The letters are the initials of names of the Three Kings – Kasper, Melchior, and Balthasar. This tradition is a home blessing that protects and blesses the home, much like the Israelites blessed the mantels of their doors with lamb’s blood to be saved from death. It is also an outward sign of hospitality shown by the Holy Family to the Three Kings, an invitation to God and to all that they are welcome in the home. From the first day we were married, we have made it a point to make our house a place that is welcome to all.
I love how rich our faith is with so much joy and celebration! I love how many feasts there are throughout the year. Feast with us this year on Finding Philothea as we celebrate the many joys of our Catholic Faith!
– M
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