Each person has a scent that’s identifiable to his or her dog. From that fact, we may conclude that each of us is shedding molecules that are unique to us.
Each of us also differs in voice, size, and shape. St. Augustine wrote that “It’s absolutely miraculous that God was able to make so many faces so individually recognizable.” The same manifestations of our uniqueness are found in our fingerprints, DNA, and retinal patterns.
All this gives us usually-overlooked indications, if not actual proofs, that God was very interested in creating us as individuals. We see that He took each and every one of our individual creations so seriously that even simple dog and cat programs can distinguish any one of us from all the other human programs.
When we think how much more difficult it was to make each of us as different as we are from all others, we are forced to say to ourselves: “God would not have made all of us distinct and different people if He didn’t think each one of us to be an important individual with important, unique characteristics. If I am to make myself close to God, I have no choice but to believe that all the other individuals are as important to Him as I am.”
This understanding opens a door that leads to success on earth and admission into Heaven. It is some of what was meant by “Love God and neighbor”.
(A note from a following column that’s relevant: John, Cardinal Newman said: “God has created (programmed) me to do some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He is not committed to another. I have my mission.” And so does each one of us.)
