(The ninth in a series of meditations on the Mysteries of the Rosary by Rev. Addisalem T. Mekonnen, Spiritual Director of the Philadelphia Senatus).
How does God dress us?
I just attended a swimming party this past Sunday and of course everyone had attire that was normal to wear for swimming or playing basketball. Although I wasn’t interested in going swimming, I did really enjoy playing a good game of basketball. Clothing helps us to keep warm in the cold winters and cool in the hot summers because they are designed that way for logical purpose. We can easily look at a photograph and guess what time of environment someone is in by looking at their clothing. People from different countries wear unique clothing that is particular to their culture because it represents not only their nationality and environment, but also their core values as a nation. It is easy to identify those who are in the Military and First Responders because of the uniform that they wear. The word “uniform” means one form. God created Adam and Eve naked, so they didn’t have any clothing on until after the fall.
It was only after the fall that they recognized their nakedness so God sacrificed animals in order that they could have some clothing. It was original sin that brought the shame of their nakedness. It was on a mountain that our Blessed Lord, the New Adam while praying, revealed His Glorious Divinity to Peter, John and James. In the Gospel of Matthew, we hear a description of our Lord’s appearance “there he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. (Matthew 17:2) If we needed to use only one word to define the uniform our Blessed Lord was always wearing then it would be glory.
The Church fathers commented on the “Transfiguration” as not so much a transformation of our Blessed Lord’s appearance, but rather a revelation of His Hidden Divinity which bear witness to His eternal glory—the glory He experiences before, during and after His Incarnation. In the Sacrament of Baptism, we are taught through the prayers of the Church that we put on Christ in our soul. If we don’t have Christ as the uniform for our soul, then we are not transfigured with glory in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. I can remember when I wore clothing that was not pleasing to God and this I heard from one of His faithful disciples. I changed my attire with the intention of desiring not to offend God anymore, but rather to be pleasing to Him. It is not our material clothing that gives any type of glory to God, but it is Christ alone, who does. However, because we are not angels, but humans, we are called to express our faith in actions.
We understand that the consecrated gold and silver chalices are not more valuable than the Body and Blood of Christ, but we still use them to demonstrate our faith in the Real Presence, so how can wearing our best clothing for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass somehow not be what God is calling us to do? The chalice and altar were consecrated to God, so in a certain sense they were dressed with Christ but our body is infinitely more valuable because we put on Christ every time we receive Holy Communion. It is our Heavenly Father who calls us to have an active participation in putting on Christ not only through the Sacraments, but in every way possible because the glory of God, which is Jesus, is the only uniform required in the kingdom of Heaven. May our Blessed Mother, the New Eve, who put on Christ through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, help us to also put on Christ through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit who helps us to put on Christ as well.
Fr. Addisalem Mekonnen