Friday of Lent V - Ritual
The highest adoration we offer to God “in spirit and in truth” is in this sharing of the breath of the Divine Spirit with one another in pardon and in love. This is why we are told to forgive our brother before we go to offer sacrifice. That is why we exchanged the kiss of peace before communion. The kiss of peace is in some way part of our eucharistic communion; it symbolizes the spiritual sharing of the Holy Spirit. With a holy kiss we give the Holy Spirit to our brother (and sister), as if the flame of one candle were transferred to enlightened another.
Thomas Merton (January 31, 1915 – December 10, 1968) was an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist, and scholar of comparative religion. He was a member of the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, near Bardstown, Kentucky, living there from 1941 to his death.
