14. “Thou gavest Me no kiss, but she
from the time she came in hath not ceased to kiss My
feet.” S. Luke vii. 45. A kiss
is the sign of love. Whence, then, can a Jew have a kiss, seeing
he has not known peace, nor received peace from Christ when He
said: “My peace I give you, My peace I leave
you.” S. John xiv. 27. The
Synagogue has not a kiss, but the Church has, who waited for Him, who
loved Him, who said: “Let Him kiss me with the kisses of
His mouth.” Cant. i.
2. For
by His kisses she wished gradually to quench the burning of that long
desire, which had grown with looking for the coming of the Lord, and to
satisfy her thirst by this gift. And so the holy prophet says:
“Thou shalt open my mouth, and it shall declare Thy
praise.” Ps. li. [l.]
17. He,
then, who praises the Lord Jesus kisses Him, he who praises Him
undoubtedly believes. Finally, David himself says: “I
believed, therefore have I spoken;” Ps. cxvi.
[cxv.] 10.
and before: “Let my mouth be filled with Thy praise, and
let me sing of Thy glory.” Ps. lxxi. [lxx.]
8.