Letter from Katie • January 7, 2026
Church of the Holy Comforter commissioning service January 4, 2026
It was such a delight to be with all of you at our commissioning service on Sunday and I am looking forward to our first weekly service this Sunday at 5 pm at Hyattsville Mennonite Church, which will be followed by a potluck. You can sign up here.
Homes and homecomings play a significant role in the Christmas and Epiphany seasons. Many of us traveled home to be with our family and friends for Christmas. Likewise, Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem, to the home of Joseph’s ancestors, and there Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is God with us. Or as John says, “the Word of God became flesh and blood and moved into our neighborhood.” (John 1:14, the Message translation) And the shepherds and magi came to the dwelling place of the Holy Family to rejoice at the birth of Jesus, the infant King of Kings.
And so it is perhaps not surprising that one of the traditions that accompanies the season of Epiphany is the blessing of homes. This isn’t the full blown blessing that is offered when someone moves into a new home, but it is an annual renewal of our invitation for God to dwell with us, to make his home in us, and through us to make his light pierce the darkness of our world. It’s a chance for us to gather together and share and pray about our hopes, fears, and dreams for the coming year.
It is customary for believers to bless their houses at Epiphany with blessed chalk, since the priest could not get to every home. This year we will write over our front door: 20 ✠ C ✠ M ✠ B ✠ 26. The digits, which appear at the beginning and end of the line, designate the new year and the crosses represent the protection of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for us. The letters ‘CMB’ have two meanings: they are the initials of the traditional names of the Three Magi—Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar—and they also abbreviate the Latin prayer Christus mansionem benedicat, which means, “May Christ bless this house.”
The inscription is made of chalk, a product of clay, which recalls the human nature taken by Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is made above the front door, so that all who enter and depart the home may be reminded of the Lord and His blessing over this house. It also provides a very public witness to our faith in God.
On Sunday, we will have chalk and a house blessing available for you to take away. You are welcome to pray this blessing with your household but you are also welcome to invite others to join you in praying for your home. We have a sign-up available if you want to schedule a time for others from Holy Comforter to join your house blessing, which shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes. And think about asking your next door neighbors to join your house blessing and offering to bless their home too. These simple Epiphany house blessings, which are organized and led by the household rather than a priest, are a wonderful way to draw near to and care for those with whom we share fencelines, sidewalks, schools, and parks. (Note: if you ever desire a more extensive house blessing, where every room of the house is blessed, contact Katie.)
And so we pray,
Visit, O blessed Lord, our homes with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.
