The Scent of Love

The old-time movie comic W. C. Fields said that he "loved" children; "I have them for breakfast every day!" He admitted the truth of what Goethe, the German writer, once said: "Children, like dogs, have so sharp a scent that they detect everything - the bad before all the rest."

There are adults that children tend to avoid. Psychologists know that most children in an initial encounter have an uncanny intuition of being liked or not, even before a work is spoken. But also sensitive adults can "hear the silent dialect of love" and inner beauty in another's tone of voice, attitude, and courtesies.

We all like to be warmly accepted by others. To cause this we need a certain warmth in ourselves, for love is reciprocal, since "love spawns Love." Loving makes you lovable. In order to acquire a personal inner warmth, we need to cultivate an acute awareness of that lovableness and intrinsic dignity in each human being that reflects God's image and likeness, 

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" (1 Jn 4:16). When your love is God's own love pouring from within you, you are irresistble!

"As dearly loved children," says Paul, "live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering...to God" (Eph 5:1-2). Goethe was rigjht. Love can be "smelled" as the very fragrance of God from within our hearts.

This excerpt is from the book One-Minute Meditations for Busy People, by John H. Hampsch, C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications. It and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and audio/video recordings can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408 or www.Catholicbooks.net