This blessing is done with blessed chalk on your front door on the Epiphany!
Technically, the Epiphany is on January 6, but a lot of Diocese move it to the first Sunday after Jan. 1.
To do the blessing, anywhere on your front door, but typically at the top of it, you write “20+C+M+B+24” with blessed chalk (any color works!)
The 20 stands for the first two numbers of the year, C stands for Caspar, M stands for Melchior, B for Balthasar (the 3 Wise Men) and 24 stands for the last two numbers of the year.
CMB also stands for Christius Mansionem Benedicat which is a Latin blessing that means “May Christ Bless this House.”
Pro tip: If your door, or the trim above your door is white, you’re going to need colored chalk!
Bless the Chalk
Leader: (Either a priest, or spiritual leader of your home): “Our help is the name of the Lord:”
All: “The maker of heaven and earth.”
Leader: “The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in:”
All: “From this time forth for evermore.”
Leader: “The Lord be with you.”
All: “And also with you.”
Leader: “Let us pray.”
All: “Loving God, bless this chalk which you have created, that it may be helpful to your people; and grant that through the invocation of your most Holy Name all who use it in faith to write upon the doors of their homes the names of your saints, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, may receive health of body and protection of soul for all who dwell in or visit their home; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
(You may sprinkle the chalk with holy water.)
Bless Your Home
Below is a simple blessing, but here is one from The USCCB website that’s a bit more robust.
Leader “Peace be to this house.”
All: “And to all who dwell herein.”
All: “From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.”
All Pray: The Magnificat. During the Magnificat, the room is sprinkled with holy water
All: “From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.”
Leader: “Our Father. . .
And lead us not into temptation”
All: “But deliver us from evil.”
Leader: “All they from Saba shall come”
All: “Bringing gold and frankincense.”
Leader: “O Lord, hear my prayer.”
All: “And let my cry come to You.”
Leader: “Let us pray. O God, who by the guidance of a star didst on this day manifest Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we who know Thee by faith may also attain the vision of Thy glorious majesty. Through Christ our Lord.”
All: “Amen.”
Leader: “Be enlightened, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee—Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.”
All: “And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light and kings in the splendor of thy rising, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.”
Leader: “Let us pray.
Bless, O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfillment of Thy law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home and upon all who dwell herein. Through Christ our Lord.”
All: “Amen.”
I hope this was helpful!
