Oh, happy day!

As I worked on this week’s post for our church blog, I wondered when exactly Ordinary Time would start.

Not Sunday.  That’s the epiphany of the Lord.  Monday?  Even though it’s the baptism of the Lord?  Probably.

I was looking at the Word among us and found that Tuesday prayers reflect the first week in Ordinary Time.

So when does Christmas officially end? I wondered, and off I went into search and find mode.  So I googled when does Christmas start and end but round and round I went taking longer than anticipated until, finally, I was enlightened.

Christmas begins at sundown on Christmas Eve and ends with the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, I read.

Major epiphany

Woohoo!  Great response.  Now I know for sure.

Funny that I’d never stopped to wonder why it was that, back home, folks celebrate Three Kings Day in a very big way.  It’s a rather complicated story to me regarding finding the baby in the cake served and then having to pay it forward by hosting another party for everyone.  I don’t even recall when the initial baby cake is served, so I guess this is a story for another time when I’ve checked it out.

Our principal used to do that to the faculty and staff at our public school; and, while it was always fun to eat cake, it wasn’t so much fun to host a party ’cause I’ve always been a party pooper.  Still, it worked out well, since she’d have the baker place ten babies in the initial cake so that the expense and the responsibility would be shared, which was fine.

Oh, the memories!  But, while I’m at it, what is Epiphany?

I continued my searches; and, when I was nearly frustrated, I remembered the source that never disappoints.

Fisheaters have the most gorgeous pictures with their explanations on the various topics!  I love their site!  And I found lots to read… and share… so, last night when Steven asked for this month’s issue of the Word among us to prepare for today’s readings, I waxed eloquent on the topic of Epiphany.

Wow.  I couldn’t believe I’d gone all these years without fully grasping the meaning of the twelve days of Christmas.  What an epiphany!  Yes.  I couldn’t resist the pun.  The ol’ pea brain is always blown away with every little… and big… morsel of knowledge gleaned.

Epiphany

The Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated in ways I never knew!  I couldn’t believe we’ve never discussed these traditions at church, so I kept my ears and eyes open during this morning’s Mass.

Yes, Father Xaviour talked about the magi.  Yes, Jay Masterson had us sing We Three Kings.  But where was the tradition of the chalk and the gifts of the magi, not to mention the Epiphany water that one takes home to bless every room in the house?

Customs and traditions

For families who practice traditions involving “the Magi” or “La Befana” leaving gifts for children, the day begins with the wee ones discovering what was left for them while they slept on Twelfth Night.

At today’s Mass, there will be a blessing of gold, frankincense, myrrh, Epiphany Water, and, after Communion, a blessing of chalk.  Bring small special items of gold to have with you during the Mass, and they will be blessed if they are exposed as you sit in your pew with them (wedding rings, rosaries, an heirloom piece of gold jewelry, for example).

When Mass is over, you will take some of the blessed chalk, frankincense, myrrh, and Epiphany Water home with you, so it’s good to bring a container to transport Holy Water and one to put some grains of incense and a piece of chalk into.  (Note: if you can, take and keep [five] pieces of blessed incense for your Paschal Candle this Easter).

When you get home, sprinkle some Epiphany water (otherwise and afterwards used as regular Holy Water) in the rooms of your house to protect it and bring blessings.  This Holy Water recalls the waters of the Jordan, and is a visible reminder of Christ’s Divinity, of Jesus’s revealing Himself as God at His Baptism, when were heard the words from the Father: “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” This rite of blessing the home [is] led by a priest, if possible, or the father of the house if no priest is available… (Fisheaters, n. d.).

Gifts of the Magi

While I love the idea of baking a Three Kings cake now that I have the recipe, what matters more is that I understand the meaning of Epiphany and the significance of the gifts of the magi.

Although Steven and I like to keep Christmas year ’round, I find myself eagerly awaiting the Epiphany of the Lord again so I can participate more fully.  Additionally, I look forward to being present at a Mass during which gold, frankincense, myrrh, water, and chalk are blessed and subsequently shared with the church community.

I want to live my faith by bringing home the gifts of the magi, reciting the prayers, and blessing every room in the house.  After all, Epiphany is an extraordinary tradition with countless blessings for the entire year.

Links of interest…  Baptism of the Lord…  Christmas novena (Nov 30-Dec 24)…  Days of Christmas…  Feast of the Epiphany…  Las posadas & the 2nd Christmas novena
(Dec 16-24)…  Seasonal customs…  Twelfth night…  We Three Kings (YouTube)…  the Word among us…

WP posts…  Blue heaven…  Christmas blessings…  Church time blues…  Concrete abstraction…  Faith and prayer…  Santo Niño…  Thanksgiving prayers

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