• What would it be like to encounter the baby Jesus?
• To prostrate oneself is to lie flat on the ground, face down in reverence. Why was it appropriate and fitting for the Magi to worship Jesus in this way?
• Like Herod in the Gospel, sometimes people tempt us to do something wrong or against God’s will. Share a time when you acted in a just way in spite of a temptation.

Paper Crowns

Make paper crowns for the whole family and wear them at dinner to celebrate the feast of the Epiphany!

Materials:

• thin cardboard (poster board or old cereal boxes work well)
• foil gift wrap or construction paper
• scissors
• paint, crayons, or felt-tip pens
• glue
• stapler
• optional: stickers, markers, glitter, shapes cut from construction paper

Instructions:

Cut a strip of cardboard 3 or 4 inches wide and long enough to go around each person’s head and overlap slightly. Cut a piece of construction paper or foil gift wrap the same length but slightly wider (2 inches wider). Glue the construction paper to the cardboard so the bottom edge lines up. Cut a zigzag in the top edge of the construction paper. Note: The construction paper is wider to make it easier to cut the zigzag; it is difficult to cut the zigzag from the cardboard. Decorate using markers, glitter or stickers. Make a ring with the cardboard facing in (toward the head) and the paper facing out and staple to make a crown.

Epiphany House Blessing

This ceremony of the blessing of the home and the inscription of the initials of the three Magi above each door can be performed by the head of the family or another designated family member. Have some chalk on hand in preparation for the prayer.

Leader: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Leader: From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial. The star burned like a flame, pointing the way to God, the King of kings. The wise men saw the sign and brought their gifts in homage to their great King.
Lord, bless this chalk, and let it be a help to our family. Let us use it with faith in your most holy name, and with it inscribe on the doors of their homes the names of your saints, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, may through their merits and intercession enjoy health in body and protection of soul; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Leader: O Lord, Almighty God, bless our home that it may become a shelter of health, chastity, humility, goodness, mercy, obedience to the commandments, and thanksgiving to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. May your blessing come upon this house, those who live here, and those who visit, through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

After the prayers of the blessing are recited, inscribe the initials of the Magi upon the main entrance of your home as indicated below:

20 + C + M + B + 24

The initials, C, M, B, can also be interpreted as the Latin phrase - Christus mansionem benedicat - which means "Christ bless this house." The plus signs represent the cross, and the numbers in the beginning and end mark the year.

Leader: Let us pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us. Our Father...

All: Amen.

The Magi worshipped Jesus by laying prostrate on the ground. What gesture do we use to show reverence to Jesus during the consecration of the bread and wine?

The Magi practiced prudence when they

avoided Herod and returned to their country by another route. The virtue of

prudence helps us decide what is right. Practice the virtue of prudence this

week. When faced with a difficult situation, pray about it, and let God help

you decide the right thing to do.

The gifts of the Magi symbolize the areas of Jesus’ life: his kingship (gold), that he is God (frankincense), and his death (myrrh).