Clothe the Naked
“For I was … naked and you clothed me … whenever you did this for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me!” (Mt 25:35-40).
To clothe the naked means providing something to wear for someone who has none, or even very little. The Biblical sense of the term, however, also can mean bringing people out of darkness into the light. In Genesis, Adam and Eve saw their nakedness when they disobeyed God. We note as well that salvation is described as clothing a person in a white garment – a symbol still used at baptism. Stripping a person of clothes is an act of humiliation and degradation whereas clothing another affirms their dignity as a child of God. Below are some suggestions to consider:
- Clean out your closet and donate any extra clothing to a thrift store, perhaps a Catholic Charities Maine thrift store.
- Skip a purchase from a website or catalog and make a donation instead to a women’s shelter or a social service agency. It’s not just about giving unwanted things away but about owning less and offering support to those who don’t have enough.
- Clothe someone with kindness through a compliment or simple gesture.
- Buy diapers or other items that would help a new mom. Donate them to a pregnancy support center or your parish's social ministry program.
- Clothe someone in warmth by contributing to your parish’s or Catholic Charities’ programs that help with heating assistance or participate in a weatherization program.
- Do you know someone who struggles to fit in, perhaps even in your parish? Clothe them with dignity by making sure they know they are welcome.
Stories of Service from our Diocese
Scripture Quotess
"And he would answer and say to them, 'The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise'" (Luke 3:11).
"If a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing..." (Ezekiel 18:7)
Bishop Robert Deeley
"When we collect warm clothing for those who are in need, we are offering mercy. A simple project to gather clothing for a person lacking shows who we are as Christians. Jesus, from the cross, his throne of love and mercy, shows us how to live. He gives of himself. He sends us to bring his love and mercy into the world. In so doing, we are being a Catholic community."
