In this journey through the ordinary time of hope, we continue to deepen the senses that help us to live our daily lives with depth. We started with the sense of hearing, recognizing that “hope sings”, now we stop at the sense of smell. Smell is a basic and primary sense, and at the same time deeply linked to memory and emotions.
Smell connects directly with the depths of our experience: a scent can transport us to childhood, awaken tenderness, evoke a family memory or relive a moment of faith. It is a sense that touches the heart without passing through too many filters, because its information connects directly with the limbic system and the hippocampus of the brain, areas in charge of emotions and memory, without passing through the thalamus. This direct connection allows smells to evoke intense memories and powerful feelings, acting as an anchor for autobiographical memory.
The “fragrances” of our life
In our lives, we live with smells that we seek and enjoy: the smell of freshly baked bread, of wet earth, of sprouting flowers, of a clean and welcoming place. But there are others that we avoid: garbage, sewage, lack of hygiene, rottenness… They are all part of reality and sometimes of everyday life.
When we come into contact with them, they inevitably lead us to take a stand: what do we do with what we find unpleasant? Do we reject it, do we turn away, or do we try to transform it? It gives us hope to see so many people who, beyond the smells that repel or attract, approach people and situations with humanity and tenderness, to dignify them, accompany them and give them back the fragrance of life.
In that sense, last weekend the Church celebrated an event that speaks to us of the fragrance of life and hope. A group of LGTBI+ Christians and their families participated in the Jubilee of Hope, an ecclesial gesture that reminds us that we all have a place in the community and that the mission of the Church is to ensure that it is ever more inclusive and open, capable of welcoming each person with respect and tenderness. That very special Jubilee left an aroma of fraternity and Gospel, was closely accompanied by Ma. Luisa Berzosa, Daughter of Jesus, and shares her experience.
The “odor of sanctity
On the other hand, on September 7, we celebrated the canonization of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, two young men who in different eras left a scent of fresh and hopeful life.
In the Christian tradition we speak of the “odor of holiness,” an expression that refers not only to a physical aroma, but to the experience of those who live so united to God that they leave behind them a spiritual fragrance: kindness, joy, generous dedication, love that is shared. It is the life that smells of the Gospel.
St. Carlo Acutis, already known as “God’s influencer,” with his passion for the Eucharist and creativity in using technology to evangelize, and St. Pier Giorgio, with his joyful commitment to friendship, service and justice, are witnesses that following Jesus spreads a scent of hope.
As well as others; as Pope Leo XIV recalled:
“And how many other saints we could remember! Sometimes we represent them as great figures, forgetting that for them everything began when, while still young, they answered “yes” to God and gave themselves to Him fully, without keeping anything for themselves“ (Complete homily).
Both transmit that holiness is not something distant or reserved to a few, but an accessible path and they become a model of life for us. In Carlo we recognize simplicity, joy and faith lived in everyday life; in Pier Giorgio, the strength to unite faith, friendship and social commitment.
Questions to deepen our understanding of this ordinary time of hope…
- What scents connect me to hope and God’s presence in my life?
- What “odor of holiness” do I recognize in the people around me?
- What fragrance do I want my life to leave on those who encounter me?
