Thought for the Week - 10.1.2021

 
What is this?

When we moved into our house 18months ago we noticed this was chalked on the door frame over the door into our house.
We had no idea what the sequence of numbers and letters meant until last week when we discovered it represented that it was a door or Epiphany blessing, which was originally a Catholic and Anglican tradition of chalking the door with a blessing over the house.  The numbers represent the year and the letters CMB representing the names of the 3 wise men Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar who came to visit Jesus in his first home.  The abbreviation CMB in Latin means ‘My Christ bless this house’.
The previous owners of the house were a retired Anglican vicar and chaplain at Norwich cathedral and looking at the freshness of the chalk it looks like he and his wife have left a blessing over the house when they moved out.
Now we understand the meaning of this it is very special to us and something of great blessing.
Psalm 121 v 8 says ‘The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forever.’
In a time when we have and are spending so much time at home this is such a blessing, then why not ask God to bless and protect your home? You don’t have to chalk your door frame you can simply say a prayer at your doorway. Why not say a prayer for your neighbours or those households which you know might be struggling.
May God bless you and your household now and this coming year.