Adoration

At the Boston Eucharistic Congress for young adults, a speaker on the Presence and the Eucharist spoke of the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as kissing our Lord. For Communion is the consummation of our marriage to our, the Bridegroom, Christ. This analogy struck me very deeply, in both directions. It has deepened my understanding of Adoration, and the intimacy of it even without being united to Him in the flesh. Likewise it has finally crystallized for me what a pure kiss between a man and woman is meant to be. It is a demonstration of love-- but not merely an action to say I love you, but rather an act of reverence and awe in the presence of a mystery created by God--it is like the woman pouring the expensive oil on the feet of Christ, or breaking the alabaster jar--like Christ washing the feet of His disciples. I was one of those whose feet were washed by the priest at the Holy Thursday Mass. When Father poured the water over my foot and so tenderly wrapped it in the towel to dry it, and then so reverently kissed it--that is the love with which spouses should kiss each other always, whether it be the cheek or lips or hands of their love. The love with which we kiss the wounded hands and feet and side of our Lord crucified; the love with which we kiss the wood of the Cross on Good Friday. That is the love which we all crave, so deeply in our hearts!