1 Corinthians 16:19-24

I once had a mentor and on our first meeting together, he insisted that all Christians should greet one another with a holy kiss. Having made this statement with confidence and authority, this middle-aged man leant in, puckered his lips and tried to plant a wet kiss on my cheek. I didn’t know what to do and I panicked. I found myself pushing him away in absolute shock. I told him in no uncertain terms that if we were to have a mentoring relationship that this would never be ok. To this day, I look back and wonder if there was something unholy about his desire to kiss. However, he respected my resistance and we continued to meet for the next two years.

This week, we read in the papers about the Bishop of Liverpool assaulting two women in his care. It is tragic, frustrating and heart-breaking. It perpetuates a narrative of control, abuse and cover-ups in the church and we must do everything we can to prevent things like this happening at any level in the church.

Paul’s command for Christians to greet each other with a holy kiss is a reflection of the love and warmth that should be shared in churches. Jesus’ desire was that we would be one, a miraculous, Holy Spirit drenched, overflowing, beautiful family, growing together, on mission together and transformed through our worship of God. Love gives priority to the other and does not force its will upon them. It seeks to see them flourish and thrive. It is not self-seeking and does not live to fulfil its own ambitions. Rather, it lives for the benefit of those around us. I believe that this kind of love is what we were created for and where we find our purpose.

I am not good ant showing my feelings and I often get told by my wife that I can not just think nice thoughts, I have to share them or they have no power. We are family. Paul chose the act of a holy kiss as a practical discipline, reminding him (sometimes training him?) of the value of the person standing in front of him.