St. Joseph Catholic School Church issued the following announcement on Jan. 2.
Two traditional rituals, one liturgical and one domestic, help underline the meaning of the Epiphany. The Proclamation of the Date of Easter is an option for inclusion at Mass today. This text which formally announces the dates of the upcoming major feast days reminds us that Christmas is best honored in the context of the whole story of salvation that culminates in Easter. Or as writer Nathan Mitchell reflects, the wood of the crib becomes the wood of the cross. The second tradition connected to Epiphany is the blessing of the door of one's home with chalk. It includes a prayer for protection for all who enter therein. One explanation of this tradition ties it to the Passover in the Book of Exodus: the marking of the doorposts with the blood of the lamb kept the Israelites safe. This tradition too offers a connection between Christmas and Easter. As we continue to mine the richness of this season we hum along with the angels, Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Original source can be found here.
Source: St. Joseph Catholic School Church
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