We all recognize the kiss as a gesture or expression of love and affection, or even of respect and veneration. There are a number of references to kissing in the Scriptures, mostly among relatives and friends, and there is the touching story in the Gospel of Luke of the repentant harlot who kissed the feet of Jesus and anointed them with precious oil. In ordinary life, people kiss spouses and family members, and sometimes even pictures of absent or deceased loved ones. The movements of our hearts are often outwardly expressed through a kiss.
But why would a priest-monk want to write about kissing? It is because I actually do quite a bit of it! I mentioned in my last post about St Bernadette kissing the ground before Our Lady as an act of penance for sinners, though this is only one aspect of this act of love and veneration. I have rediscovered in recent weeks the power of the kiss to revitalize one’s relationship to God, and to Our Lady and the saints.
After I had read the story of St Bernadette, I thought I should pay closer attention to all the acts of veneration that belong to my vocation, because they are many! I became aware that I often offered these liturgical or ritual kisses perfunctorily or half-heartedly, even absent-mindedly, so they had lost much of their meaning and spiritual fruitfulness. Once I had decided to venerate the icons and all holy things slowly, gently, and devoutly, I not only realized how often I am privileged to venerate holy things as an act of homage to God, I also noticed an interior change. The power of the kiss, when offered with attention and genuine devotion, is able to reawaken the love that perhaps has been somewhat dormant in the heart. It is a way of reminding yourself what you really do believe and feel within—and what you may have neglected and thus has become dulled through sloth or carelessness—and so the external act can open one’s soul to receive the renewing grace of the Lord.
A few examples: as I vest for the Divine Liturgy, I’m required to pray certain prayers with each of the liturgical vestments: the stichar (alb), stole, cuffs, cincture, phelon (chasuble), and I am to bless and kiss each one before I put them on. This is to say: these are the sacred vestments with which I am clothed in order to offer the Holy Sacrifice of Jesus, and so I love them. When I come to the altar and pray the opening prayers before the Liturgy, I kiss the altar (as the psalmist says, “the altar of God, the God of my joy”), the Book of the Gospels (in which the mystery of my beloved Lord Jesus is recounted), and the cross (the instrument of my salvation). I love all these things, and so I kiss them—and when I do so reverently and attentively, my love is rekindled.
I kiss the icons of Christ, his Mother, and the saints and angels, because I love them and want to honor them. I kiss the chalice after drinking the Precious Blood of Jesus, which makes the chalice holy, and which makes the chalice itself an object of love and veneration. I kiss the crucifix and medal on the Rosary when I pray it, and if I accidently drop some holy thing (like a chalice veil, for example), I kiss it after I pick it up, acknowledging thereby that I recognize the sacred purpose of it. I kiss the Bible before and after reading it. When I’m paying enough attention, I find that I have many opportunities each day to express my love for the Lord with a kiss.
You do not perhaps have all the opportunities I have to venerate the holy things. But you still have some. You must have some icons or other sacred images in your home. Do you ever kiss them to express your love and devotion? Surely you read the Bible. Do you love the word of God? Why not, then, kiss the Bible before and after you read it? Do is slowly, lovingly, telling the Lord how much you love Him and how grateful you are that He has spoken the word of life to you. I think if you are paying attention, you will find sufficient opportunities to venerate that which brings you into more conscious awareness of God’s presence. Kiss your rosary before and after you pray it, and your scapular and blessed medals as well. These are all gifts from God and from Our Lady, to remind you of your high calling and all that God has prepared for those who love Him. This is a long-standing tradition in the Church, but one that seems to have fallen into disuse because we’re all so proud, pragmatic, and basically lacking in gratitude for all the holy things God has placed at our disposal in order to lead us more surely and sweetly to Him.
Try it, and you may be pleased to discover how such a small act of devotion really rekindles your love and your awareness of heavenly grace within and around you. Do you love the Lord? Then kiss Him!
