Epiphany 2026

The season of Christmas ends on January 6^th which is the Feast of Epiphany. Epiphany extends from January 6 until Ash Wednesday which marks the start of Lent. The word epiphany originates from the Greek word epiphaneia, meaning manifestation or appearance. Epiphany is a time to commemorate the wise men’s journey of following a star to see Jesus. It’s also a time to celebrate Christ’s manifestation to the world through his birth to the world.

My friend Robert Benson shared these beautiful words: "Now the season of looking for Him everywhere is upon us — the season of Epiphany is what they call it. Heads up. Keep your eyes and ears and hands open. He is everywhere, and He moves in pretty surprising ways. You do not want to miss Him."

Chalking the Door

One meaningful way to celebrate Epiphany on January 6th is the tradition of “chalking the door.” This practice dates back to the Middle Ages and involves marking your doorframe with a simple blessing:

20 ✝ C ✝ M ✝ B ✝ [year]

The numbers represent the year, and the letters stand for either the names of the wise men—Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar—or the Latin phrase Christus Mansionem Benedicat, meaning “May Christ bless this home.”

This tradition invites us to pause, reflect on the past year, and pray for the year ahead. It’s a chance to give thanks for all who have entered our home and to ask God’s blessing for those who will visit in the future.

These chalk markings remind us that when the wise men first recognized Jesus as King, He was living in a home as part of a family. That home was surely blessed by His presence, and in the same way, our homes can also be places of blessing through His Spirit.

Epiphany reminds us of the wise men who followed a star to find Jesus, bringing gifts to honor Him. Today, we carry that light of Christ within us. By opening our homes with hospitality—through a shared meal, a listening ear, or a warm welcome—we extend that love to others.

To participate in this tradition, simply gather your family, reflect on the past year, and say a simple prayer as you write the blessing on your door praying for those who have come through your doors in the last year and for those who have yet to come through your doors in the upcoming year. Ask for joy, rest, peace, and welcome to fill your home. May all who enter encounter the love of Christ.

I’ve created a liturgy for Epiphany below:

A Blessing of the Home
God, bless this home.
Bless the people who live here,
the ones who work, rest, and dream under this roof,
and all who cross its threshold.
Let peace settle into every room,
filling the air with grace.
We pause to remember the friends and family
who have passed through our doors this past year.
For their presence, their laughter,
their love, their connection,
we give thanks.
(Take a moment to speak their names aloud in gratitude.)
Long ago, wise travelers followed a star,
bringing gifts to honor the Christ child—
gold for a King,
incense for a God among us,
and myrrh for a life given in love.
May their journey remind us
to seek what matters most.
May we see the light of that same star
in the ordinary moments of our days,
calling us to recognize Christ in our midst.
God, make this house a place of welcome—
a shelter in life’s storms,
a haven of rest,
a space where kindness is practiced,
and love is abundant.
Grant that the gifts within this family
will be nurtured, shared, and used for the good of all.
When we leave this place, guide us by your light.
And when we return, may we come home to peace.

This is one of my favorite times around the table to name those who have come through our doors, and it's an annual reminder that I need again and again that those who walk through our door are gifts who are bringing God to us.

I love the part where we stop to remember and name all the people who came through our doors in the previous year and then pray that our home would be a light to those who come here in the coming year.

But it's also a reminder that those who come are bringing something to us. If it's true what Les Mis says that "to love another person is to see the face of God," then we have the opportunity to see God's face every time someone walks through our doors.

This note is by our front door as a reminder of this to me all year: "Let all guest who arrive be received as Christ. - Ruleof St. Benedict. Receive each person who comes through your door as though they were bringing Jesus to you. Receive every person you meet as though you were encountering the face of Christ."