By Ainish Philip
On a recent visit to one of the local churches, my attention was drawn to a couple of young girls who were dressed in tight, skin revealing short dresses. As they stood in one of the front pews completely oblivious to the fact that they were feast to many ogling eyes, I prayed a little prayer: ‘Lord, cover us in the mantle of modesty!’
It is vital to state that we are all visual beings and there is some truth to the fact that our eyes are attracted to flesh or can I say bare skin? Clearly those girls had moved past the realm of modesty. I remember asking a group of teenage boys what if they saw someone clad scantily? They at once retorted, we will definitely be tempted to look at her! While I thanked them for their honesty, this came as a surprise to the girls. Many of them said, “So what if we dress that way? That is how the whole world dresses up!”
We live in a world which is obsessed with looking good and where self-worth comes from how people see us. We are tempted to feel that if I don’t have/wear what the world has, I will be left unappreciated and unadmired. Today’s fashion trends are aimed at making people look sexy, and looking ‘hot and sexy’ is to incite lust and temptation in others, especially men. While the scripture teaches us to dress modestly, the world teaches, it is empowering to dress in less! Many innocent teens and youth fall victims to “if you’ve got it, flaunt it!” The emphasis on physical attractiveness and latest fashion trends has totally desensitised the way we dress. Some do not even see anything wrong in posing nude on the internet but later repent when they fall into deep trouble as a result of that.
Scripture on Modesty:
The Scripture however, teaches us it is not in the extravagance or the attention hogging apparel we wear, but Jesus values the virtue of modesty and dignity in us. That is why the Holy Spirit speaks through Paul on an important subject which applies to all of us: modesty. “I desire women to be dressed modestly and decently in suitable clothing.” (1Timothy 2:9) St. Paul teaches us that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must glorify Christ in our bodies. Dressing immodestly or drawing attention towards oneself could not only be a source of distraction, but also a source of sin! Again, Sirach 19:30 says, “A person’s attire and the way he walks, show what he is.” While wearing a decent outfit sends a message of confidence, a racy and revealing dress sends a message of sensuality. Same goes for the males. The newly found obsession of looking good has been doing the rounds among boys and young men too. The quest to look good drives them to walk into the place of worship in a ‘branded’ mode. Instead of giving more importance to the neatly gelled hair or muscular looks, they must dress appropriately for each Mass or service. St. Leo the Great, in one of his homilies, said: “Christians, remember your dignity.” Instead of getting distracted while at Church, be eager to focus on worship and set your heart on Jesus.
Our Lady on Modesty:
When Our Lady of Fatima appeared to three Shepherd children, Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucia (1917), our Mother mentioned that many immodest fashions will be introduced that will highly offend God. She said that most souls are lost due to the sins of the flesh, and sins against the virtue of purity.
Saints and Popes on Modesty:
“In all your movements, let nothing be evident that would offend the eyes of another.” -St. Augustine, Father and Doctor of the Church-
“What is it all for? If they only knew what eternity is.” -Bl. Jacinta of Fatima, age 9, on seeing immodest and fashionably dressed women-
“We recall that a dress cannot be called decent which is cut deeper than two fingers breadth under the pit of the throat, which does not cover the arms at least to the elbows, and scarcely reaches a bit beyond the knee. Furthermore, dresses of transparent material are improper. Let parents see to it that their children are fully and modestly dressed. Let them never permit their daughters to don immodest garb.”- The Sacred Congregation of the Council (by the mandate of Pope Pius XI)-
“When St. Perpetua was thrown into the air by a savage bull in the amphitheatre at Carthage, her first thought and action when she fell to the ground was to rearrange her dress to cover her thigh, because she was more concerned for modesty than pain.” -Pope Pius XII-
St. Padre Pio wouldn't tolerate low-necked dresses or short, tight skirts, and he forbade his spiritual daughters to wear transparent stockings. He stubbornly dismissed them from his confession, even before they set foot inside, if he judged them to be improperly dressed.
St. Peter mentions that “we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s own people.” (1 Peter 2:9) If we are the chosen ones of God, we ought to be representatives of Him everywhere. Next time we step out, let us ask the Holy Spirit to examine our clothing. Let us invite Him to search our hearts and remove any wicked way in us (Psalm 139:23, 24).
Let us get real. We have a moral responsibility towards our bodies. Our bodies will be glorified at the Second Coming of Jesus. “Let us present ourselves to God as raised from dead to life and present ourselves as instruments of righteousness.” (Romans 6:13) Let us be modest and holy, not only in the way we look, but also in our walk, our talk, and all our actions.
Be Holy! Be on Fire!
Stay in peace. Stay with Jesus.
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