Why does the priest kiss the Book of Gospels? Isn that idolatry?
Have you ever kissed a picture of a loved one? What about sealing a letter with a kiss (SWAK)? If you have then you understand why the priest kisses the Book of Gospels. We do not worship the book or anything for that matter except God, but we do venerate many things that remind us of God or point us to God. When your mother told you to take your shoes off before you came inside, she didn’t say that because you were to worship the carpet, but rather there are many things that we should respect and give honor. Jesus is the Word of God (see John 1). The Gospels contain the stories, actions, and teachings of Jesus – stories, actions, and teachings that give us life. When the priest kisses the book, he is honoring the words of Christ that give us life – here and hereafter. The Gospels point us to God, just as a picture of your boyfriend points you to the person you love, if you kiss the picture, you are honoring the person that picture represents, not the picture in and of itself.
