The Wonder of Smell

Starting with the Feast of Epiphany, this blog has been considering the Wonder of each of the human senses. There was the way that Sight helps us to see what is important, both physically and with the eyes of the heart. In the same way Hearing can let us notice the lovely sounds, and can also offer us a time for quiet to hear the ‘still small voice of God’. Touching someone in need allows us to be the hand of Christ, while the idea of Tasting the goodness of God brings us closer to what is really important in life.

The last sense we will consider is the Wonder of Smell. Think what happens when you smell something delicious-say a cake or steak or rose. You inhale the scent or fragrance so you can enjoy it more fully. Sometimes we get a whiff of something that doesn’t smell so good. Perhaps a skunk or diesel exhaust. Then, if you are like me, you kind of hold your breath and hope you can get past it before you have to breathe again. Some smells are overpowering and some are so delicate you can barely make them out. Each smell has its own characteristics.

The Apostle Paul says “we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:15) and that we are to “walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2). Each of us is, no doubt, a different fragrance to God. Some are pungent, some sweet, some delicate, and some are spicy.

How does that happen? When we are inspired and filled with the Holy Spirit. Consider the word inspire. We think of it as being something that happens when we are moved by a speaker or a competition or something. The word is from the Latin in-spirare (to breathe upon or into). The root word of Spirit is the same: spirare or breathe. We very much need the continuing Breath of God to in-spire (literally to in-Spirit) us. Only by breathing in the Spirit of God can we remain a ‘sweet savor’ to the world and to God.

“Breathe on me breath of God” is the first line of one of my favorite hymns. It reminds me that the Spirit of God is the ruach that stirred the waters of creation. It says in Genesis 2:7 “then the Lord God formed man of the dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.” God continues to breathe ruach into us when we pray, as it says in the hymn:

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.

Ash Wednesday is this coming Wednesday. During Lent we will consider some ways to live a Lively Lent-the theme of an upcoming retreat in El Paso.