Time To Chalk Your Door

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As we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, many Catholic households are reviving the beautiful tradition of Chalking the Door. This simple "house blessing" involves using blessed chalk to write a sequence of numbers and letters above the main entrance of the home. For 2026, the inscription reads 20 + C + M + B + 26. The numbers represent the current year, while the initials C, M, and B stand for the traditional names of the three Magi—Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. Beyond the names of the Wise Men, these letters also serve as an abbreviation for the Latin blessing Christus Mansionem Benedicat, which translates to "May Christ bless this house."

By marking our lintels, we are making a visible profession of faith and inviting the Holy Spirit to dwell within our walls throughout the coming year. Just as the Magi followed the star to find the Christ Child, this chalk serves as a signpost that our homes are places where Jesus is sought and adored. It is a reminder that our domestic lives—our meals, our rest, and our hospitality—are sacred spaces under God's protection. As the chalk eventually fades over the weeks, the blessing remains, calling us to be a "light to the nations" in our own neighborhoods, always keeping the doors of our hearts open to the "divine interruptions" of God’s grace.

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