Sacred Scents

Following service this past Sunday I was walking past the front of the chancel when the Advent candle was extinguished. The smell of extinguished candles in a sanctuary never fails to bring to the surface of my heart feelings of joy, contentment, and belonging. Think about the times when we light candles in sanctuaries: Advent, Christmas Eve, and weddings. In my life, these have been joyous and hopeful events and when I smell the distinctive smell of a candle having been blown out, those same feelings come flooding back.

Our brain processes smells in such a way that the neural path of a smell goes directly through the parts of our brain related to emotion and memory. “Smell memories” can pull from us earlier and more emotional memories than can our other senses. And “smell memories” are often the first and easiest part of a memory to access, which explains why we remember a smell before we remember the event associated with it.

When I smell candles blown out in a sanctuary I can almost feel my child self-sitting in the sanctuary of my childhood church waiting for my turn in the Christmas program dress-rehearsal, eager to be part of something that felt so big and important, or watching my dad dressed as a shepherd keeping his eye on the Baby Jesus that was my sibling.

This time of year can be complicated and tiring, for sure. But, it is also a time of year when folx remember some of the sacred moments of their past. Many of those moments happened in the church or around the family dinner table.

The Bible has its own stories of sacred scents and sacred spaces. In Exodus 30:34-38 the LORD gives Moses a sacred recipe for a sacred perfume to be used around the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle (Israel’s early traveling version of the Temple). The recipe given there is gum resin, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense (ok, maybe not so secret). I have no idea what this would have smelled like, but I suspect the priests and anyone else who smelled this perfume in that sacred space of God’s presence would have positive emotions associated with it (the full recipe itself was never used outside the temple, but individual ingredients were). So, perhaps every time frankincense was used in a perfume (Song of Songs 3:6) or included in an offering (Isaiah 43:23), those who smelled it had memories of being in God’s presence come forward in their minds. Perhaps they felt wrapped in grace and love.

We read about Frankincense again when the Magi bring their gifts to the toddler Jesus in Matthew chapter 2. I am struck here that such a sacred scent was gifted to a child of displaced parents who was being sought by a jealous king. A smell that could bring forth emotions and memories of God’s holy presence was now lingering in the air around this family.

God’s holy presence in the perfumed air of a sacred space.

God’s holy presence in the air around a small child.

God’s holy presence.

What scents bring you into the sacred presence of God?

Perhaps for you it is also candles, blown out after a singing of “Silent Night” in an otherwise darkened room. Perhaps it is evergreen branches, covered with bits and bobs of a lifetime.

God is wholly present, now and always. But this season I am thankful for these olfactory reminders of God’s holy presence in sacred spaces. Now, excuse me while I go blow out some candles.

Blessings,

Pastor Amy