Posted on 09/23/2008 2:29:23 PM PDT by Ebenezer
In the Creed we profess that we believe “in the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting.” That will take place at the end of the world at the Second Coming of Christ. The saved will shine like the sun and dwell in the New Jerusalem forever.
A question that has been on my mind for a long time, and for which I have not found an answer, is whether or not resurrected bodies will wear clothes. Will they be clothed or naked? Let me list some reasons for and against.
1) They will be clothed. When the resurrected, glorified Jesus appeared to his apostles, he was clothed. The Gospels do not affirm that but they assume it. When our Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette at Lourdes and to the three children at Fatima, she was clothed in white—we know that from the images of her that the visionaries described. In the past, when saints and angels appeared to human beings on earth, they too were clothed in white. That makes sense for the sake of modesty, given our present sinful state. In the Book of Revelation, the saints before the throne of God are “wearing white robes” (7:9; see also 3:5; 4:4; 6:11; 7:13). But St. John did not see resurrected bodies because the universal resurrection has not yet taken place. The commentaries say that the white robes are symbolic of victory, joy and resurrection.
The glorified bodies of Jesus and Mary are clothed, but what is the nature of their clothing? Is it a glorified fabric, similar to a glorified body? What style is it? Jesus and Mary seem to appear in the clothing they wore in Jerusalem two thousand years ago.
2) They will not be clothed. Adam and Eve were naked before their fall into sin. The New Jerusalem at the end of the world will be like a return to the Garden of Eden. Since there is no concupiscence or attraction to sin, it would seem that the resurrected do not need clothes.
When Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning, he left the shroud in which he was wrapped, plus the cloth for his face (see John 20:5-7). Was he covered with glorified clothes we know nothing about?
In baroque churches in Europe, the many cherubs or baby angels are naked. In Orvieto, Italy, a fresco in a chapel in the cathedral portrays the resurrected as coming up out of the ground naked. Since glorified bodies are immortal and not affected by cosmic heat or cold, they do not need clothing or shoes.
A further question would concern their hair style. Will they all have long hair the way Jesus has been seen (Sacred Heart, Jesus of the Divine Mercy)? Will the men have beards or will they be clean shaven?
As far as I know, St. Thomas Aquinas in his great Summa Theologiae does not treat this question. Perhaps he raised and answered the question in one of his other writings. Also, I wonder whether or not one of the Fathers of the Church or one of the other great medieval theologians ever expressed an opinion on this point. If any reader of this essay has information on the topic, please send me a letter and give me the reference.
I do not know the answer to this question, but divine things are beyond our power of comprehension unless they have been explicitly revealed to us by God. St. Paul said, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9). The coming and going of the resurrected Jesus through walls and then suddenly disappearing is very mysterious and indicates that glorified matter has capabilities that we know nothing about. The resurrected life is a wonderful experience to look forward to. The early Christians expressed this hope with the prayer, “Marana tha,” that is, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
Faith of Our Fathers ping
I don’t know the answer to this one, but I believe that you can fit up to 5000 angels on the head of a pin.
“God shuffled his feet...”
Wrong, wrong, wrong! I am positive that the answer is 7777 angels. ... *snicker* ... I like your wry sense of humor.
Adam and Eve did not see that they were naked until after the fall ... it has been supposed that they had a glory or light about them until the fall when it left.
Not that it matters one bit. The former things will no longer come to mind... Since there will be nothing sexual, the lightest of fabrics will suffice. Being infused with light would be nice.
Either way, Joan Rivers will be there with camera and microphone to critique everybody’s “outfit”.
Now I am confused. Should I pack a bag when I go? I hate the idea of eternity in a suit and tie.
I thought this was soft porn.
As Christ walked with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus he was clothed.
No, no, you’ve been deceived by Satan! Only 3,872 angels can fit on the head of a pin!
Ok, here's the good news, and the bad news:
GOOD NEWS: When the resurection happens, NO, those who are resurrected will not be wearing closthes.
BAD NEWS: Since you will be santified, you won't care about getting a sneak peak of Greta Garbo without any clothes on.
Uhhh.... we’ll all be wearing standard issue Angel suits? Whatever. I’m trying really hard not to be disrespectful or not God-fearing or anything like that, but am I the only one that thinks this is a REALLY stupid & irrelevant question? There are “theologians” out there actually thinking up & writing about silly stuff like this?
That's funny, in the tradition of that great comedian Samson. You may recall that he brought the house down!
Yikes. I hope so.
There’s good naked ...and there’s bad naked.
The resurrection represents the defeat of the last enemy, death ... the last vestige of the fall of man.
since, prior to the fall, they were
naked and unashamed
I assume that we'll once again be in that state.
Since there will be nothing sexual, the lightest of fabrics will suffice. ....................... Oh nuts, that means we are going just look at the 72 virgins the Arabs get and become aroused? OH No, not that, ya mean its gone?
We will all be brangelinas
I am of the opinion that over 100 angels can dance on the head of a pin.
What say the rest of you?
Please cite sources... ;)
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