28th Sunday Homily - Clothed in Christ

They say, forgive the gender specific term, “The clothes make the man.” Remember the TLC show, “What Not to Wear?” The idea was that the clothes people wear don’t always express the real person underneath. There was one episode in which this man with a small business and the skills could not get very far professionally. He dressed like a beach bum despite being a 40 something man. So the hosts came in, cleaned him up, dressed him to reflect his personality but also to show to others that he had professionalism. It was quite the transformation.

We have a group of women who come together to talk, to form community and they also knit. When we baptize infants there is a beautiful part of the ritual in which a white garment is presented to the newly baptized. We use white blankets knitted by those women. 

A few weeks ago I noticed something. Previously during the ritual I would give the blanket to the godmother to hold during the ceremony. However, at this one baptism the godmother took the blanket and lovingly wrapped it around the baby, as I spoke the words of the ritual “N, see in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity...” The symbolism was perfect. Since then I have asked the Godmom to continue to do this.

In Genesis after Adam & Eve had eaten of the fruit and God had to search them out, Scripture says Adam and Eve fashioned leaves to hide their nakedness. Yet, before they had to leave paradise because they chose things over God, God, it also says, made Adam & Eve real clothes so that they would be better protected. Maybe a sentence we might read over quickly, but really a powerful statement of God’s love for them.

When Jesus preaches and teaches about the Kingdom of Heaven he is not merely talking about the afterlife. He speaks of a reality in the here and now. A reality in which all people are called to participate in.

Keeping this mind Jesus teaches us an important lesson in living.

The Kingdom of Heaven is a reality now in which all are called to live and participate. It is an attitude of Joy. It is a reality of Love; in which thrives peace (shalom), generosity, compassion, mercy, true justice. A reality in which the dignity of all persons is affirmed and celebrated. 

Jesus also subtly teaches that as we live out the Kingdom, our world becomes a better, more solid place.  This wedding feast, this reality is not passive. It requires our participation. We are expected to dance, celebrate and live out this reality. We are expected to join in.  We are all invited to make this world a better place. 

Christians especially have this responsibility since this is our mission. But some of us; well, we can take it for granted. We who are supposed to know better...we can get distracted into our own way of living; by our own selfishness. The end result is that our little worlds that we create for ourselves, they collapse, crash and burn.

The Father wants better for us.

Then there is that enigmatic scene in the parable: the man not dressed appropriately, the King becomes angry and throws him out.  Seems harsh. If Jesus makes the point that the Father is all loving, why this? It’s because the man had a choice. He had an opportunity, and he did not take it. He did not clothe himself to participate in the wedding.

St. Paul’s great awareness was that the Law did not make him a good or righteous person; that following the Law and completing it in a very precise way did not make him holy. It was faith; believing in God’s belief in him, in us. This was Jesus revealed to him, to us.  This was the faith he clothed himself.

There are people distressed. People who say their faith is waning, collapsing. People say they feel lost. This pre-dates COVID, but COVID certainly exacerbates it.

Makes me wonder if we are wearing the wrong clothes.  Makes me wonder if people have clothed themselves in politics, in power, in selfishness, in self-interest, in institutions...

The Church as an institution certainly has a history of messing up. Clothing ourselves in our own glory, in a thirst for power, in a desire to protect ourselves. The consequences have been horrible and there has been a destruction.

On a personal level, people can follow suit, and cloth themselves in a Church Triumphant, a Church of power and influence; a Church that as long as I get the sacraments I can think of myself as good; a faith that as long as I follow all the rules, I can get God’s love. Yet, when that is gone, what is left?

Clothe ourselves in Christ! A Solid faith is to clothe ourselves in Christ. A solid faith is participating in the mission of God to bring forth the Kingdom of Heaven, clothes ourselves in Christ.  Clothe ourselves in humility; in self-giving; in generosity, in seeking the good of all people.  Christ gives us the path to the Kingdom, to a life of Joy in the here and now. It may not be the easiest of paths, nor not always the most popular; yet it works.  

If we were to reflect and go deep and truly be honest; the moments of joy, of peace, were moments we went beyond ourselves to the other. Moments of compassion, moments of forgiveness, moments of generosity. We were engaged in life.

Imagine clothing ourselves in these; imagine living in these.

The saints clothed themselves in Christ.  They lived lives that promoted the common good. That elevated the dignity of others. They strived to be humble, loving; to see a world of beauty.  Saint Oscar Romero had the change; foregoing the clothes of a royal episcopacy, he saw the gospel values and the needs of the poor.  Blessed Fr. Stan Rothery, worked also for the poor and those without voice.  His heart literally preserved in love.

Despite the dangers, despite the criticism, these men clothed themselves in the values of faith.  So maybe these days our faith seems to be collapsing; maybe we seem to be challenged. Good.

Maybe it’s the Spirit asking us to take off one cloak and replace it with another that reflects our Christian dignity.

So maybe these days we are not finding much joy.  Maybe it’s time to dress up ourselves differently.