"Greet one another with the holy kiss." 1 Corinthians 16:20
The nurse kissed my mother's forehead as she left for the day at the end of her
shift. It was a tender, intimate gesture; a caring gesture.
Mom had been admitted to the ER that morning; the parade of doctors and nurses
seemed endless--specialists; technicians to draw blood; administrators to ensure
that she had proper insurance. The parade had led her to a catheterization, which had resulted in a stay on the heart floor for a few hours, and to the nurse's kiss.
It had only been a few hours since our arrival, but she had shown her heart and had shared her incredible capacity to care for the ill, frightened charges--one of
them was my mother. (and I was the other one!) Yet she took the time to kiss my mom.
How rarely, or how frequently, do we make such an impression on others? How often are we able to show our hearts, even if it's only for a brief time? How often do we share a holy kiss?
Paul told the believers in Corinth to greet each other with a "holy kiss." Kissing in the early church was a sign of love, affection and acceptance.
It seems to me that a holy kiss also sets us apart in the world: a sign of our ability to show our hearts, a sign that we welcome others into our most intimate of spaces: our hearts.
May we ever share a holy kiss.
shift. It was a tender, intimate gesture; a caring gesture.
Mom had been admitted to the ER that morning; the parade of doctors and nurses
seemed endless--specialists; technicians to draw blood; administrators to ensure
that she had proper insurance. The parade had led her to a catheterization, which had resulted in a stay on the heart floor for a few hours, and to the nurse's kiss.
It had only been a few hours since our arrival, but she had shown her heart and had shared her incredible capacity to care for the ill, frightened charges--one of
them was my mother. (and I was the other one!) Yet she took the time to kiss my mom.
How rarely, or how frequently, do we make such an impression on others? How often are we able to show our hearts, even if it's only for a brief time? How often do we share a holy kiss?
Paul told the believers in Corinth to greet each other with a "holy kiss." Kissing in the early church was a sign of love, affection and acceptance.
It seems to me that a holy kiss also sets us apart in the world: a sign of our ability to show our hearts, a sign that we welcome others into our most intimate of spaces: our hearts.
May we ever share a holy kiss.
