“We are an aroma of Christ for God’s sake,” 2 Cor 2:15
St Paul is never boring. What can it mean that we are an
aroma of Christ? What could it have meant at the time of Jesus? The scriptures
often use the senses to help us understand God’s love for us. They remind us
that God’s love is like the taste of honey, or is music to our ears. God looks at us with compassion and touches us
with his understanding and healing. For the people of Jesus’ time, the use of the word
touch would have been intentional, as if God was actually putting his hand on our
arm to quiet us and know of his acceptance.
When Paul tells us we are the aroma of Christ he wants us to think
of sweet smelling incense or the aroma of a roasting lamb. It is the only way he can help us understand
that everything we are and do is important and ought to produce good. Incense
and food are gifts from God and remind us of God’s love. We are to live the
gospel in such a way that people might be moved to say the same thing about our
lives. Our presence should be like the welcoming smells of Thanksgiving dinner.
Today, if it is not too outrageous, ask God to make you a
sweet smelling flower for God’s sake.
How have your senses
helped you to appreciate God’s love and concern for us?
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