St. Teresa of Calcutta once wrote that “peace begins with a smile.” Something sacred is offered in a smile, it’s a gesture of love. To encounter someone with a smile is often a way of communicating to them that you value their presence. It’s a way of saying to God, “I see your beloved son or daughter here Father, and I reverence their presence because they are yours!” To go a step further and take the time to look someone in the eyes offers love as well. To smile at someone and look them in the eyes turns strangers into friends quite quickly! I’ve experienced this so many times on elevators, grocery store checkout lanes, hospital floors, sporting events, coffee shops, etc. Beyond mere kindness lies a mysterious power present in the smile of a Christian.
Filled with the Holy Spirit through our baptisms, our smiles are quite literally illumined with the love of God when we smile in authenticity at someone. St. Teresa of Calcutta once wrote that “every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” The wisdom God wants us to receive through this humble saint is that we give love when we smile, divine love! Pope Benedict once wrote that the secret to the springtime of the Church was daily reading of sacred scripture, and to that I say Amen! Perhaps one of the secrets that will help Unleash the Gospel through a vibrant band of joyful missionary disciples here in the heart of the city will be our recognition of the divine power of a smile upon the face of a disciple whose reason for joy is JESUS.
God bless you!!
Fr. Patrick