Epiphany Sunday

Dear Parishioners,

A blessed New Year to you all!  I hope you all have had a restful Christmas and New Year!  I recently visited Fr. Winter and Fr. Beardslee in Minden, NE where we spent time relaxing, cooking, and playing board games!  I highly recommend a new game SETI if you are into space and enjoy more complex games.  We also played "Take Time" , a much easier and less complex game that is a cooperative game where players either win or lose together.  To succeed, you must strategically play 12 cards facedown around a Clock, following specific rules for each Test.  If you ever played "The Mind" with Fr. Vandewalle you will like this game even more!  This week we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord.  This event commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus, recognizing Him as King and Messiah. This feast symbolizes Christ's manifestation to all nations, represented by the Magi's visit from afar.  One of the Epiphany traditions in many Catholic households is the blessing of the home, which often involves blessed chalk and salt. Let me explain their significance :

1. During the Epiphany, priest blesses chalk, which can be used by families to inscribe a traditional blessing on the lintel of the home. The inscription typically includes the year and the letters "C M B," which represent both the traditional names of the Magi (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar) and the Latin phrase “Christus Mansionem Benedicat,” meaning “May Christ bless this house.” -For the year 2026, the inscription looks like this: 20 + C + M + B + 26.2. Salt is a symbol of purification and preservation. Traditionally, it may be used in the home blessing ceremony as a sacramental to protect the household from evil influences and remind family members to be the "salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13).  The priest blesses the salt, which can then be sprinkled throughout the home or used in various ways to sanctify the environment. (including your cooking or baking)

Both these practices serve to invite God’s presence and protection into the home, transforming it into a domestic church where the faith can flourish.  How can the blessing of your home with the symbols of blessed chalk and salt deepen your awareness of Christ's presence in your everyday life?  Also, I look forward to seeing you at our Epiphany Potluck on Sunday evening at 5:30pm. An Update for the St. Mary's Stained-Glass Window project.  We currently have pledges for 8 of our 15 Windows!  I am deeply grateful to each of you for considering the restoration of our parish.  I have included an insert of our progress so far and the direction we will be going.  I have envisioned at least 5 phases to the overall goal.  Phase one was exterior work which is now completed! Phase 2 is our Window restoration.  Phase 3 is ongoing consultation with a designer for interior work.  Their work will be contracted and within defined limits, so we are efficient with their time and our budget.  Phases 4 and 5 will be the work done in the Church and Basement respectively.

In Christ,

Fr. Luke Fleck