Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 8: 10-12) When the priests left the holy place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud, since the Lord’s glory had filled the temple of the Lord.

Why do we burn incense in church? Most people would say the rising smoke is like our prayers going up.

• Let my prayer be incense before you; my uplifted hands an evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:2
• Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones. Revelations 5:8.

But there is far more. When we think of incense we should also think of smoke and clouds and then do a scripture word search:

·        Exodus 19.18: Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently.

·        Exodus 29.18: Turn the whole ram into smoke on the altar; it is a burnt-offering to the Lord; it is a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the Lord.

·        Exodus 13.21: The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.

·        Exodus 19.9: Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and so trust you ever after.’

·        Exodus 33.9: When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses.

·        Ezekiel 8.11: Each had his censer in his hand, and the fragrant cloud of incense was ascending.

·        Matthew 17:5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’ 

·        Revelation 11.12: Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here!’ And they went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies watched them.

·        Hebrews 12.1: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

All of these different images of clouds, smoke and incense converge in today’s first reading from I Kings 8.  

Incense then is our liturgical invitation to the God who comes in a cloud of glory. We wrap ourselves in this cloud of glory as it fills the church. We smell the sweet fragrance of God and are overwhelmed by the goodness of God who floods our senses.  And finally, we are the cloud of witnesses who shine with the glory of God.  

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