Episode Summary
Why does the Catholic Church use incense and is it more than just smoke?
In this episode of Ask A Priest, Father Tim explains the meaning behind incense at Mass and why it has been part of worship from the Old Testament to Revelation. Incense is not just a smell or a visual effect, it is a sign of prayer, reverence, and the living worship of God.
From the thurible and charcoal to the resin of trees, incense reminds us that Catholic worship is earthy, physical, and alive. At Mass, it prepares us to hear the Gospel, honors the altar, and points us toward the King who is coming.
Father Tim also reflects on the beauty of incense itself: hard, closed-off resin becomes alive when placed on burning coals. In the same way, our hearts become alive when they are united with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and set on fire by the Holy Spirit.
Next time you see incense at Mass, remember: that smoke rising toward heaven is an image of what your heart is called to become.
Episode Transcript
[00:00:00 –> 00:00:02] Why incense? Why incense at mass?
[00:00:02 –> 00:00:05] Why incense in the Catholic Church? What’s it all about?
[00:00:05 –> 00:00:08] (gentle music)
[00:00:09 –> 00:00:10] I remember when I was in college,
[00:00:10 –> 00:00:13] one of my friends asked the priest,
[00:00:13 –> 00:00:14] “Why do we do incense?
[00:00:14 –> 00:00:16] It smells horrible. It’s annoying.
[00:00:16 –> 00:00:18] I cough every time I smell incense.”
[00:00:18 –> 00:00:20] And the priest responded,
[00:00:20 –> 00:00:23] “It’s either incense in heaven or sulfur in hell.
[00:00:23 –> 00:00:24] Get used to it.”
[00:00:24 –> 00:00:27] Probably not the best way of evangelizing,
[00:00:27 –> 00:00:30] but the Book of Revelation talking about the angels
[00:00:30 –> 00:00:34] incensing the Father, incensing the Son, the Holy Spirit,
[00:00:34 –> 00:00:35] that within heaven,
[00:00:35 –> 00:00:39] there’s a glorification of the Lord with incense.
[00:00:39 –> 00:00:41] Incense was in the Old Testament.
[00:00:41 –> 00:00:42] It was in the New Testament.
[00:00:42 –> 00:00:43] It’s part of our tradition.
[00:00:43 –> 00:00:44] But for us as Catholics,
[00:00:44 –> 00:00:48] we are so earthy and so tangible and so physical.
[00:00:48 –> 00:00:50] We love this stuff.
[00:00:50 –> 00:00:52] For incense, we have the thurible,
[00:00:52 –> 00:00:56] metal from the Earth, handcrafted by human beings.
[00:00:56 –> 00:00:59] We have the charcoal from wood.
[00:00:59 –> 00:01:03] We have the incense, which is resin from trees.
[00:01:03 –> 00:01:04] It’s all glorifying the Father,
[00:01:04 –> 00:01:06] the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[00:01:06 –> 00:01:08] Well, Francis talked about incense at mass,
[00:01:08 –> 00:01:11] how awesome it is because we get ready for the hallelujah.
[00:01:11 –> 00:01:13] The Book of the Gospels is incensed.
[00:01:13 –> 00:01:16] It’s basically saying, get ready to hear from the king.
[00:01:16 –> 00:01:18] The king is about to speak.
[00:01:18 –> 00:01:20] Then we have incense at the offertory
[00:01:20 –> 00:01:22] where the altar is incensed.
[00:01:22 –> 00:01:25] And that’s also saying, the king is coming.
[00:01:25 –> 00:01:26] Prepare for the king.
[00:01:26 –> 00:01:30] Incense reminds us that our Catholic faith is not dead.
[00:01:30 –> 00:01:34] It’s not unimpressive. It’s not boring.
[00:01:34 –> 00:01:37] It’s alive. It’s billowing out of love.
[00:01:37 –> 00:01:42] It is flowing back and forth, up to heaven, down to Earth.
[00:01:42 –> 00:01:45] It is flowing all over the place. It is alive.
[00:01:45 –> 00:01:46] What I love about the incense
[00:01:46 –> 00:01:49] is that incense comes from trees
[00:01:49 –> 00:01:54] or plants that create resin, also known as tears.
[00:01:54 –> 00:01:56] The incense pebbles themselves,
[00:01:56 –> 00:02:00] very unimpressive, very closed off, very hard.
[00:02:00 –> 00:02:05] But when placed onto hot, burning, steady coals,
[00:02:05 –> 00:02:07] the incense literally becomes alive.
[00:02:07 –> 00:02:10] Literally becomes what it’s supposed to do.
[00:02:10 –> 00:02:12] This is literally what the sacred heart of Jesus does
[00:02:12 –> 00:02:15] when we let him ignite our hearts with love.
[00:02:15 –> 00:02:17] All the saints realize this.
[00:02:17 –> 00:02:20] All of the saints were living thuribles,
[00:02:20 –> 00:02:23] where they were able to be alive
[00:02:23 –> 00:02:25] in the fire of the Holy Spirit.
[00:02:25 –> 00:02:27] God is so good. Our faith is so good.
[00:02:27 –> 00:02:29] Catholic liturgy is so good
[00:02:29 –> 00:02:32] because again, it’s taking us out of ourselves.
[00:02:32 –> 00:02:36] It’s taking us out of our unimpressive hearts.
[00:02:36 –> 00:02:38] And then we get to be ignited by the living
[00:02:38 –> 00:02:40] and the true God,
[00:02:40 –> 00:02:43] the living and the true sacred heart of Jesus.
[00:02:43 –> 00:02:46] So next time that you see incense at mass,
[00:02:46 –> 00:02:49] that’s literally what your heart will look like
[00:02:49 –> 00:02:52] when you unite it with the sacred heart of Jesus.
[00:02:52 –> 00:02:54] Love you, praying for you.
[00:02:54 –> 00:02:55] This is Spirit Juice. Peace.
[00:02:55 –> 00:02:56] You know those questions
[00:02:56 –> 00:02:58] that are tricky questions
[00:02:58 –> 00:03:02] about the faith that really stir the pot.
[00:03:02 –> 00:03:03] I want those.
[00:03:03 –> 00:03:07] Send it to [email protected]
[00:03:07 –> 00:03:09] and you might be featured on the next episode.
[00:03:09 –> 00:03:12] Spirit Juice, God Answers. Peace.
Key Takeaways
- Catholics use incense because it is part of biblical worship in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
- Incense in the Book of Revelation points to heavenly worship, where the prayers of the saints rise before God with the smoke of incense.
- Catholic liturgical incense uses physical things like metal, charcoal, wood, resin, smoke, and scent to express reverence and prayer.
- Incense at Mass helps signal that something sacred is happening, while pointing beyond the visible sign to an invisible reality.
- When the Book of the Gospels is incensed, it reminds us to prepare to hear Christ speaking to His Church through the proclamation of the Gospel.
- At the preparation of the gifts, incense symbolizes the Church’s offering and prayer rising before God.
- Incense can symbolize a faith that is alive, rising, moving, and filled with love.
- The image of incense becoming fragrant when it touches burning coals can remind us that our hearts become spiritually alive when they are set on fire by the love of Christ and the Holy Spirit.
What This Means for Prayer and Daily Life
The next time you see incense at Mass, do not just think, “That smells strong.”
Look at what it is doing.
The smoke rises. It moves. It fills the church. It points upward and outward. It reminds us that Catholic worship is not merely an idea taking place in our heads. It involves our bodies and senses, and it draws us into the visible signs through which the Church directs us toward the mystery of Christ.
Pray simply:
“Jesus, ignite my heart with Your love. Let my life rise to You like incense.”
That prayer gets to the heart of this episode. Incense is not only something the priest or deacon swings during Mass. It is also an image of what our prayers and our lives are meant to become.
On our own, our hearts can feel hard, closed off, unimpressive, or tired. But when we are placed near the steady fire of Jesus’ love, something changes. We begin to become what we were made to be: people whose lives offer praise to God and whose love becomes a gift to others.
This is why incense and Catholic worship matter. The Church uses physical signs because we are physical people. We need to see, smell, hear, touch, and experience reminders of the invisible grace of God. The liturgy uses visible realities to lead us into the invisible mystery of Christ’s death and Resurrection.
In daily life, incense can remind us to offer everything back to the Lord: our work, suffering, prayer, tears, love, and desires. Psalm 141 connects incense with prayer, and the Roman Missal connects it with the offering of the Church.
Nothing has to remain closed off from God. Nothing has to remain spiritually lifeless. Even our weakness can become an offering when it is united to Christ.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus can set even the hardest heart on fire.
FAQ Section
Catholics use incense because it is part of biblical worship and Catholic tradition. At Mass, incense is an expression of reverence and prayer. It can also signify that the Church’s offering and prayers are rising before God.
Incense symbolizes prayer, worship, reverence, and the heart rising toward God. In the Book of Revelation, incense is offered together with the prayers of the saints before the heavenly throne.
Incense can also serve as a spiritual image of the human heart becoming alive and fragrant through the transforming love of Christ.
Yes, incense appears in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Exodus describes the altar of incense in the worship of the tabernacle.
In Luke’s Gospel, Zechariah burns incense in the Temple while the people pray outside. Psalm 141 compares prayer to incense, and Revelation presents incense with the prayers of the saints in heavenly worship.
Incense is used at Mass as an expression of reverence and prayer. It may be used during the entrance, at the beginning of Mass, during the Gospel procession and proclamation, at the preparation of the gifts, and at the showing of the consecrated host and chalice.
At the preparation of the gifts, incense signifies the Church’s offering and prayer rising before God.
The thurible is the metal vessel used to burn and swing incense during Catholic liturgy. It holds burning charcoal and incense. Through these physical materials, the Church gives visible expression to prayer and reverence.
The Gospel is incensed because it is proclaimed with special reverence. The Church teaches that Christ is present in His word when the Holy Scriptures are read in the Church. Incensing the Book of the Gospels helps the faithful prepare to hear Christ speaking through the liturgical proclamation.
In the episode, Fr. Tim explains that this moment says, in effect, “Get ready. The King is about to speak.”
Many Catholics love incense because it makes worship feel tangible, reverent, beautiful, and alive. It engages the senses and reminds us that earthly worship is joined to heavenly worship.
The Church does not require incense at every Mass, and some people may be sensitive to smoke or strong scents. But when incense is used according to the Roman Missal, it serves as a visible sign of prayer and reverence within the Church’s liturgy.
Fr. Tim compares incense placed on burning coals to the human heart ignited by the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Just as incense becomes fragrant when it encounters fire, our hearts can become spiritually alive when they are transformed by Christ’s love and the fire of the Holy Spirit.
This is a meditation or analogy rather than a required liturgical interpretation. The Church’s official meaning of incense at Mass is reverence and prayer, including the prayer of the Church rising before God.
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