Devotion of the Week
Feb. 15, 2004
By: John W. Bowling, Pastor
Middlesboro Covenant UMC
Middlesboro, Ky.

Have you kissed anyone today? I knew that would get your attention. We are used to exchanging words of greeting or a handshake, but in the times of Jesus-Middle Eastern peoples were accustomed to greeting one another with a kiss. In fact (and I'm really not making this up), it was usually given on the mouth. Jesus was certainly kissed. Once he even complained because he wasn't kissed upon entering the home of a Pharisee (Lk. 7:45). He would have greeted the disciples daily, and they he, with a kiss. Of course, the most famous kiss he ever received was from Judas (Matt. 26:48).

The early Christians incorporated the kiss into the life of the Church. This should not be news to you: Paul commanded the Christians at Rome to "greet one another with a holy kiss" (Rom. 16:16; I Cor. 16:20; II Cor. 13:12; I Thess. 5:26). He also referred to it as a "kiss of love" (I Pet. 5:14)…and that's exactly what it was.

The kiss lasted until the 1100's when the priests started kissing the paten (the "plate" upon which the bread used for the Lord's Supper is placed) and then passed it through the congregation until everyone had "kissed" each other via the paten. This, really, was the beginning of a shift in worship: the Mass became focused more on the mystical; performed by the priests and happening "up front." The congregation's role became more of a spectator event rather than a full participatory event (i.e., attend, be quiet, watch, and listen).

The kiss was and still is a sign of intimacy (and a part of some worship traditions even today). I did a wedding some years ago and the groom's family was Italian. I've never been kissed by so many people I didn't know! Our Western culture and our Puritan heritage keeps us from embracing-if you don't mind the pun-this ancient practice, but we can still "kiss" one another. In fact, I declare that we MUST!

Okay, before you refuse to "pucker up for Jesus," let me state that we can "translate" the kiss into the realm of the spiritual-and this is what we are attempting to communicate anyway: a spiritual truth. This seemingly out-dated exchange is a sign of solidarity and unity; it is a sign that, as Christians, we have a special and unique relationship with one another. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, you know. We're not coincidentally just worshipping together as those who gather in the theater to see a movie or assemble in a stadium for a sporting event! We must express our unique relationship!

Let us truly share our joys and bear one another's burdens. We don't have to literally "kiss" those with whom we worship or greet one another in this particular manner when we see another Christian at Wal-Mart, but we can express (in so many ways) our love and support for one another. Words or other physical expressions can penetrate the coldness of life we so often experience. …And in so doing, those belonging to "the world" may begin to crave, even more, what it is that we possess-the love of Christ in our hearts. So, don't forget to…kiss somebody today!