The Blessing of Houses

The Blessing of Houses

The Blessing of Houses is an occasional service of the Reformed Episcopal Church used for the blessing of homes and certain ecclesiastical, educational, or medical buildings.

Overview

This rite blesses a house or other appropriate building through prayers at the door, in rooms, and at household or institutional places of use. It includes shorter and fuller forms.

Full Text of the Service

¶ For the Benediction of Homes, and of Ecclesiastical, Educational, and Medical Buildings.

¶ Any religious ornaments may be blessed in the rooms in which they are to be used.

¶ And Note, For a shorter form the section entitled, The Blessing of the House, may be used.

At the Door

¶ As the Priest enters the House he shall say,

Peace be to this House, and to all who enter here.

Anthem. Through wisdom is a house builded, and by understanding is it established; * the house of the righteous shall stand, and by knowledge shall the rooms be filled with riches.

¶ Then shall follow the Blessing of the Light, or the Priest may pass at once to the Blessing of the Rooms, at his discretion.

The Blessing of the Light

¶ A Candle shall be brought to the Priest, who shall light it and bless it as follows.

Hear the words of the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew.

Glory be to thee, O Lord.

The Gospel. St. Matthew 5:14.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Praise be to thee, O Christ.

There is sprung up a light for the righteous;

And joyful gladness for such as are true-hearted.

The Lord be with you;

And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

O GOD, whose glory shines as the light in the face of Jesus Christ: Bless, we beseech thee, this candle for the illumination of this place, and grant that as it giveth light unto all that are in the house, so those who enter here may show forth in their lives the brightness of good works; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶ This Candle shall be borne before the Priest into all the rooms that are to be blessed, and other lights in the house may be kindled from it.

The Entrance Hall

Antiphon. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, * and shut thy doors about thee.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in;

From this time forth for evermore.

Let us pray.

O LORD, who art about our paths and art acquainted with all our ways: Preserve all in this house in their going out and coming in, that ever seeking to walk with thee, they may attain at last unto the eternal habitations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Oratory

Antiphon. Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High, * shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Have respect unto the prayers of thy servants;

And to their supplications.

Let us pray.

GIVE ear, Lord, unto the prayers which shall be offered here, and with thy grace protect those who offer them, pouring forth blessings upon both their souls and bodies, that they may so serve thee in this life, that in the world to come they may have life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Office of Administration

Antiphon. Obey them which have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, * for they watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief.

Know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord;

And esteem them very highly in love for their works’ sake.

Let us pray.

ALMIGHTY God, be present in this place with those whom thou hast set in authority over this house, and so stir in them the manifold gifts of thy Holy Spirit, that both by their life and doctrine they may show forth thy true and living word; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Common or Living Room

Antiphon. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another as I have loved you; * by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples.

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;

In honour preferring one another.

Let us pray.

O GOD, who hast taught us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth: Give thy blessing to all who shall share this room, that they may be knit together in true fellowship here upon earth, and finally may be joined in the communion of thy saints in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Study, Library, or Class Rooms

Antiphon. Every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an house-holder, * which bringeth forth out of his treasures things new and old.

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser;

Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

Let us pray.

O GOD the Holy Ghost, the Teacher who leadest into all truth: Grant us so to give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine, and so to meditate in thy law, that we may be filled with the knowledge of thy will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Laboratories and Work Rooms

Antiphon. Study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, * that ye may walk honestly towards them that are without, and that ye may lack nothing.

Work your work betimes;

And in his time he will give you your reward.

Let us pray.

O GOD, the Creator of all things, whose blessed Son worked in the carpenter shop of Nazareth: Be present with those who work in this place, and grant that, laboring diligently as fellow-workers with thee, they may share in the joy of thy creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Dining Room or Refectory

Antiphon. The eyes of all wait upon thee, O Lord, * and thou givest them their meat in due season.

The poor shall eat and be satisfied;

They that seek after the Lord shall praise him.

Let us pray.

O GOD, who givest food to all flesh: Fill our hearts with joy and gladness, that we, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound unto every good work; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Kitchen

Antiphon. Behold, I will send you corn and wine and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; * be glad then and rejoice in the Lord your God.

Thou, O God, hast of thy goodness prepared for the poor;

Thou fillest us with the flour of wheat.

Let us pray.

O ETERNAL God, who fillest the hungry with good things: Send thy blessing upon this kitchen and upon all who work in it, and make us ever thankful for our daily bread; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Bedrooms or Dormitories

Antiphon. Save us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping, * that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

Have I not remembered thee in my bed;

And thought upon thee when I was waking.

Let us pray.

O HEAVENLY Father, who dost ever guard thy children by thy grace: Bless, we beseech thee, this room, and thy servants who occupy it, that waking they may be thankful for thy protection, and asleep they may rest in thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Infirmary or Wards

Antiphon. Jesus sent them to preach the kingdom, * and to heal the sick.

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;

Save me, and I shall be saved; for thou art my praise.

Let us pray.

ALMIGHTY God, the giver of life and health, who didst send thine only-begotten Son into the world, that all thy children might be made whole: Send thy blessing on all who are sick in this place, and upon those who minister to them of thy healing gifts, that they may be restored to health of body and of mind; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Guest Room

Antiphon. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, * for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Love ye therefore the stranger;

For ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Let us pray.

O ALMIGHTY God, who by thy holy Apostle hast taught us to use hospitality without grudging: Bless, we beseech thee, this guest room, that all who sojourn here may be received in true friendship and love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Porch, Corridors, or Cloisters

Antiphon. Jesus walked in the temple, * in Solomon’s porch.

Teach me thy way, O Lord;

And I will walk in my house with a perfect heart.

Let us pray.

O GOD, who dost ever guide us by thy Holy Spirit: Give thy blessing to all who walk here, that ever seeking to know and to fulfill thy will, they may come to the way which leadeth to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Blessing of the House

¶ Proceeding again to the Entrance, or to some other convenient place, the Priest shall complete the Blessing of the House as follows.

¶ If the shorter form is used, the Priest shall stand in the principal room and begin the service as follows.

Anthem. The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever; * and my people shall dwell in peaceable habitations, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

¶ Minister and people.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Christ, have mercy upon us.

Lord, have mercy upon us.

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

O Lord, protect this house;

And let thy holy angels dwell herein.

The Lord be with you;

And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

¶ Here the Priest shall use one of the following Prayers, according to the nature of the building.

For a Home.

O HEAVENLY Father, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named: Be present in this house, that all who live here, being kindly affectioned one to another, may find it an haven of blessing and of peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For a Parish House.

O GOD, who by thy Holy Spirit has made us all members of the fellowship of thy holy Church: Give thy blessing to this Parish House, which we now dedicate to the use of thy Church, and grant that all who enter here, whether to teach or to learn, to work or to play, may be bound together in thy love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For a School, College, or Seminary.

O LORD our God, the source of all knowledge and all truth: Bless with thy heavenly grace this School, and all who study here, that by the inspiration of thy wisdom, both teachers and scholars may love thee with all their mind, and find in all created things the revelation of thy glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For a Hospital.

O GOD, the giver of health and salvation: Give thy blessing to this Hospital, and to all who serve herein, that doing all that they do for love of thee, they may with wisdom, skill, and sympathy minister to the sick; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For a Conventual House.

O GOD, who preparest a mansion in heaven for all those who forsake this world: Enrich, even now, this earthly house with thy heavenly treasure, and grant to the members of this Community such grace, that having served thee with constancy upon earth, they fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

¶The service shall conclude with this prayer and blessing.

Come, O Lord, we humbly beseech thee, and fill this house with the serenity of thy love and joy and peace;

Let thine abundant grace and benediction be upon those who make their home herein, that dwelling together in health in this habitation made with hands, they may themselves be evermore thy dwelling-place; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

The Peace and Blessing of God Almighty rest upon this house and upon all who dwell in it. The Lord preserve your going out and your coming in. And the Blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.

Notes on Use

• Use for homes and for ecclesiastical, educational, and medical buildings as the rubric permits.
• A shorter form may be used from the section entitled The Blessing of the House.
• Pastorally, prepare the household for movement through rooms and for any religious ornaments to be blessed.

Liturgical Structure

• At the door
• Blessings in rooms or places of use
• Blessing of religious ornaments if needed
• The Blessing of the House
• Concluding prayers

Theological Themes

• Christ's peace dwelling in the household.
• Daily life, work, rest, hospitality, and prayer offered to God.
• The home as a place of light, safety, and Christian witness.

Source

This text is transcribed from the official Reformed Episcopal Church PDF.

See Also

• Book of Common Prayer
• Reformed Episcopal Church
• Anglican liturgy
• Book of Occasional Services (Reformed Episcopal Church)
• Blessings for Various Occasions
• Rogation Days