02-08-2021, 06:09 PM
Chapter 1 (Part 2)
Most would stop right here and be satisfied that clearly stated in the Bible how women should adorn themselves and say the subject is simply not open to debate. This is so very true, and many Protestant sects without the authority of the Church, have done simply that. But living in an age of more than just plain Faith, our reason demands to be appeased. So, we will show that there is so much more that has been said about this subject.
The above Bible quotes and the following quote from St. John Chrysostom tells us that immodesty is not a new sin. It is as old as the Church itself!
In the late 3rd Century, St. John Chrysostom is quoted as saying, “the beauty of women is the greatest snare. Or rather, not the beauty of woman, but unchastened gazing.” Also, “You carry your snare everywhere and spread your nets in all places. You allege that you never invited others to sin. You did not indeed, by your words, but you have done so by you dress and your deportment and much more effectively than you could by your voice. When you have made another sin in his heart, how can you be innocent? Tell me, whom does this world condemn? Whom do judges in court punish? Those who drink poison or those who prepare it and administer the fatal potion? You have prepared the abominable cup, you have given the death-dealing drink, and you are more criminal than are those who poison the body, you murder not the body but the soul. And it is not to enemies you do this, nor are you urged on by any imaginary necessity, nor provoked by injury, but our of foolish vanity and pride.” Strong words for something that goes unnoticed today!
In the fifth century, St. Nilus gave us this disturbing prophecy that is all too true today. “After the year 1900, toward the middle of the 20th century, the people of that time will become unrecognizable….People’s appearances will change, and it will be impossible to distinguish men from women due to their shamelessness in dress and style of hair.” Doesn’t just reading this give you goosebumps?
Quoting from A Tour of the Summa St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that St. Ambrose says “that the body should be clad and adorned appropriately, unaffectedly, simply, not in an overnice fashion, nor with costly or dazzling apparel. Modesty has a place in regulating the attire. In dress, as in all outward things, there is a reasonable and decent norm. Dress should not conflict too gaudily with established custom, provided the custom itself is decent. Nor should dress too largely absorb a person’s interest and attention, for excessive pleasure in dress is vainglory…On the other hand…slovenliness in dress (or negligence) offends against modesty.”
Many Saints have spoken out against immodesty. For example, the Cure of Ars who is quoted as saying, “There is not a commandment of God which dancing does not cause men to break…Mothers may indeed say: ‘Oh, I keep an eye on my daughters.’ You keep an eye on their dress; you cannot keep guard over their heart. Go, you wicked parents, go down to hell where the wrath of God awaits you, because of your conduct when you gave free scope to your children; go! It will not be long before they join you, seeing that you show them the way so well…Then you will see whether your pastor was right in forbidding those hellish amusements…My God, is it possible to be purblind believing that there is not harm in dance, whereas it is the rope by which the devil drags the greatest number of souls into the abyss of hell.” These are harsh words for us mothers and we would be wise to heed them, considering where we are headed otherwise!
The second point that is made here is that, “Modesty in dress is particularly important for women.” It goes on to explain how woman’s dress is more likely to incite a man to lust whereas the reverse is less likely. And that neither man nor woman should dress for frivolity, vanity or display.
St. John Bosco is well known for his many ‘dreams’. But first I would like to share with you this one story that I found in a book called Smiling Don Bosco.
One day Don Bosco noticed that two ladies were dressed immodestly but he did not wish to insult them, so he began to speak to the young girl that was with them. “I should like you to explain something to me.” He began. He asked her why she had so much contempt for her arms. She answered to him that she did not and when he insisted the mother said, “On the contrary, often I must scold her for her vanity. Besides washing them she even perfumes them with eau de Cologne.” He continued to talk to the girl saying this is exactly why he said that she had contempt for her arms. “Because when you die, your arms shall be burned in the fires of Hell.” She became alarmed and he went on to say that she would probably end up in purgatory and only the Lord knew for what length of time. He told her the flames would creep up her arms and burn her neck. After this the mother understood her duty to instruct her daughter better and when Don Bosco saw them on another visit, they were always modestly dressed.
In another instance we read of one of his dreams where he witnessed two young maidens in a garden, discussing how beautiful an adornment it is to be pure and modest saying, “What a brilliance, what a glory, what splendor of virtue to live among the wicked and yet to preserve the purity of innocence and the integrity of morals!” They continue to discuss what can be lost, “What a pity that every day so many lose their innocence! When a boy falls into sin, Paradise is closed; the Most Holy Virgin and his Angel Guardian disappear; the music ceases; the light is put out; God is no longer in his heart; the starry road which he had trodden vanishes; he falls and remains on one point like an island in the middle of the sea, a sea of fire, which extends to the furthermost horizon of eternity and goes down to the depths of chaos. Above is head, in the darkened sky, the lightening of the Divine Justice flashes threateningly. Satan has rushed upon him and loaded him with chains, has placed his foot upon his neck, and raising his horribly ugly snout, has cried out: ‘I have conquered! Your son is my slave; he belongs to you no more!’ Joy is over for him. If, at that moment, the justice of God takes away that one point that supports him, he is lost forever.” They go on to discuss how he can rise again, how God’s mercy is infinite, but that once the innocence is lost it can never be recovered saying, “…he will feel the enormous debt which he has contracted with the Divine Justice; in spiritual combats he will be weaker.”
What an enormous statement of truth! Having been stung by this sin it will forever remain with him as his weakness. They go on to describe the means for preserving innocence saying, “Therefore, without penance, innocence cannot be preserved…innocence crowned with penance is the queen of virtues.” They continue to discuss mortification of the heart, hearing, speech and intellect saying, “In short mortify oneself in all that happens throughout the day: cold and heat, and never seeking our personal satisfaction: ‘Mortify your earthly limbs.’” Here is the perfect example of how necessary it is for us to rediscover the importance of penance. It can be a penance to dress modestly, especially when it is quite warm or very cold. But it is times such as these that we can make use of our inconvenience and offer up our discomforts for the Holy Souls, or another worthy intention.
In another vision of St. John Bosco where he visits Hell he discovers some of the many traps that catch people, in this case his boys, and sends them to Hell. Seeing traps of Pride, Disobedience and sins against the sixth commandment, he looks closer to discover that the most dangerous of those were sins of impurity, disobedience and pride. He also finds that these three were linked together. He goes on to discover the biggest weapons against these were prayer, spiritual reading well done, frequent Holy Communion and Confession and devotion to various Saints. His guide tells him, “Always preach against Immodesty.” Yes, always preach against immodesty! Truly this is the source of our difficulties today and how wonderful to know that the above spiritual practices can be our weapons in our battle!