The Arrest

Summary

Most of us have kissed—or been kissed—at one time or another. When our sons were small, I probably I kissed each of them at least a thousand times, plus however many times Jenny kissed them. We don’t kiss our sons anymore—a fact for which they are profoundly grateful—although Jenny and I still kiss each other frequently. Most of us were kissed as young children, and some of us adults may indulge ourselves in the occasional kiss with our own children or grandchildren, nieces or nephews, intimate friends or spouses.

Kissing is for intimate, trusting relationships. Consider the holy kiss, which some North American Mennonites used to practice more than we do now. The holy kiss was based on four references in the letters of Paul. It was a kiss on the cheeks between two members of the church which symbolized friendship, mutual trust, and unity within the body of Christ. In Mennonite circles it was usually limited to same-sex kissing rather than cross-sex kissing.