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What’s in a kiss? Everything!
Happy Easter! That’s right, we are still in the Easter season. Alleluia! Alleluia! Thank you for joining me for All Things Catholic on this Wednesday during the Second Week of Easter. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we are going to explore what it means to be Catholic. Here’s a question that’s been on the back burner for a while: why do priests and deacons kiss the altar? I’m so glad you asked! Don’t forget to send me your questions either through the comment form on the website, or by email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org.
Perhaps you’ve been at mass and seen the priest and deacon kiss the altar at the beginning of mass and at the end of mass. Or perhaps you’ve been watching a live-streamed mass during this time of social distancing and “remain home” initiatives and you’ve noticed the Pope, or your bishop kiss the altar. Either way, why do they kiss the altar at all? What’s in a kiss?
Well, as with so many things Catholic, the practice of kissing or venerating the altar has a long history in the Church, what we would refer to as “tradition” spelled with a little “t”. And there are some excellent articles out there that describe the history and even some of the current church practice or norms around kissing the altar. I will list some of these articles at the bottom of my podcast notes under “Further Reading”.
I don’t want to spend too much time repeating all this wisdom, but just a quick note about vocabulary. The intellectual tradition of the western world is deeply rooted in Greek thought. One of the effects of Greek thinking on us is that we in the west have this tendency to want to classify and name things and organize topics in like categories. The Church is no exception. For this reason, Church vocabulary can be a bit confusing. But just hang in there.
Suffice it to say, that very early in the life of the Church, perhaps within the first three hundred years, this practice began and gained in popularity among the clergy. Today, this practice is required in Church documents which we call “norms”. The primary document is called the General Instructions to the Roman Missal or the GIRM. In fact, in the GIRM for each type of mass, kissing the altar is all of one short sentence, (for example No. 49). Nothing more. No explanation or footnotes.
There are too many reasons to try to capture here. Let’s explore some of the reasons. The altar is the place of the “living sacrifice”. So, kissing the altar is a sign of veneration, which means an act of reverence and respect. The altar also symbolizes Christ the cornerstone of our faith – the stone rejected by the builders. So, kissing the altar shows unity between Christ and His church.
During the times of persecutions when Christians would hide and even hold mass in the catacombs, they worshipped literally on the bones of the martyrs. While it’s not always the case in newer churches, a custom developed in which the remains of martyrs were often entombed beneath the altar or even within the altar. Even a piece of the martyr or other saint might be placed in a small cavity within or beneath the altar. These small pieces of the bone of martyrs or saints are called “relics”. Well actually, because these are pieces of the martyr or saint, they are called “first class relics”. <1> So, kissing an altar with relics is also an acknowledgment of the great works of the martyr or other saint on behalf of Jesus Christ.
This is all important, of course, but in my opinion, these are tangential to the heart of matter. I can assure you that while it might be in the rules, the clergy do not kiss the altar because we are “required”.
Why is it important for a husband and wife to kiss before they run off for work in the morning or when they return home at the end of the day? I am no poet, so it’s difficult to put this into words, but at its core, a simple kiss – even a peck on the check while parting or returning – is so important. It’s an acknowledgment of course, and an affirmation. But there’s so much more to it that! In a healthy relationship, it’s all in a kiss!
In the brief seconds of that kiss, we step off the hamster wheel of life and we are present to each other. A kiss fosters bonding and contentment. It is a simple expression of profound belonging. A more passionate or intimate kiss breaks the routine of the day. Instead of saying “you’re never going to believe what happened today,” we shift to, “I’m crazy about and you so happy to be here with you! It’s all good!” It can reset all the emotions from our frenzied and over-scheduled day.
Now think about the incredible pressure on your priest. On top of pressures of running the parish, he has to deal with all sorts of telephone calls and emails – some quite petty, like, “with all the babies crying in mass I can’t hear a thing. What are you going to do about it?” Or, “the catechist reprimanded my kid. Who does he think he is? What are you going to do about it?” Or, “that crazy deacon’s homily ticked me off! Why do you let him preach?” And of course, there’s the ever popular, “fix it our I’ll go to the bishop!”
Think about your priest who might hear confessions before mass. What burdens from confession does he carry as he enters the church? For bishops and the pope, the pressure is exponential. If you think a priest or a deacon always enter mass unburdened, I’m sorry to tell you it’s not true. Our clergy are humans just like everyone else, and like everyone else they have good days and they have not so good days.
Yet, as they approach the altar – as the priest and deacon kiss the alter, everything resets. All the pressures of their roles which still exist are in that instant set to the side. We are totally present to Jesus Christ. We are totally present to His bride, the Church. And we are present to the entire community of believers – those who came before us, those yet to be born, and those here with us now. As mass comes to end, the priest and deacon kiss the altar before they process out. In that moment of goodbye, we are saying, “I love you and I’ll be back soon.”
Of course, openness and intention are everything. But in kissing the altar like a couple who kisses, we make ourselves vulnerable. It’s a reminder that I am not the center of the universe and the world does not revolve around me. It’s a reminder that I am not alone and even more importantly a reminder of my call to serve – a call to serve the Church and a call to serve my spouse. I know all that sounds like a tall order for a kiss, but if we allow it, a kiss can be transformative. What’s in a kiss? Everything!
Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!
You’re listening to All Things Catholic. If you have a question you’d like me to discuss, please use the comment form on the website, or send me an email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org.
This episode was produced by deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join us again next time and don’t forget to check out the weekend edition where we break open the Word. He is RISEN! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Notes:
<1> More on relics. A first-class relic is a piece of the physical remains of a martyr or other saint. A second-class relic is an item the saint owned and frequently used, like clothing, a rosary, a crucifix or a book. A third-class relic is anything which has been in contact with a first- or second-class relic. Today, most third-class relics are small pieces of cloth which might be attached to a prayer card.
References:
1. Catholic Church. General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2003.
2. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.
Further Reading:
1. For biblical examples of kissing as a greeting, see Michal E. Hunt, “Why Does the Priest Kiss the Altar.” AgapeBibleStudy.com, 1995. https://www.agapebiblestudy.com/documents/Why%20Does%20the%20Priest%20Kiss%20the%20Altar.htm.
2. Aaron, Shirley. “Why Do Catholic Priests Kiss the Altar at the Beginning of a Mass?” Catholic Online. September 24, 2018. Accessed April 22, 2020. http://francismary.org/why-do-catholic-priests-kiss-the-altar-at-the-beginning-of-a-mass/.
3. Chansky, Tamar. “How kissing can save your marriage, every day.” WHYY. November 30, 2015. Accessed April 22, 2020. https://whyy.org/articles/how-kissing-can-save-your-marriage-every-day/.
4. Kosloski, Philip. “This is why the priest kisses the altar at Mass.” Aleteia. July 26, 2017. Accessed April 22, 2020. https://aleteia.org/2017/07/26/this-is-why-the-priest-kisses-the-altar-at-mass/.
5. McNamara, Edward. “Deacons’ Hands on the Altar.” Zenit. August 29, 2017. Accessed April 22, 2020. https://zenit.org/articles/deacons-hands-on-the-altar/.
6. Plett, Cara. “8 tips for kissing toward a more passionate marriage.” Focus on the Family. 2013. Accessed April 22, 2020. https://www.focusonthefamily.ca/content/8-tips-for-kissing-toward-a-more-passionate-marriage.
7. “Practicing a Holy Kiss in Marriage.” Build Your Marriage. March 23, 2017. Accessed April 22, 2020. https://www.buildyourmarriage.org/practicing-a-holy-kiss-in-marriage/.
8. Rose Ezra. “The Catholic Tradition of a Priest Kissing the Altar.” Classroom. September 29, 2017. Accessed April 22, 2020. https://classroom.synonym.com/the-catholic-tradition-of-a-priest-kissing-the-altar-12087035.html.