07/31/2023
While sharing the Holy Crucifix in the street, some people say: why is Jesus naked?, and they laugh and mock Him.
So Let’s talk about “NAKEDNESS”
I titled it: IN MARY’S EMBRACE
•Adam and Eve lived in perfect harmony with God, walking unashamed and naked before Him. Their nakedness symbolized the pure vulnerability and trust they had in God's love. They were not only united physically but also spiritually, reflecting the beautiful design of God's plan for marriage - a union of hearts and souls, free from barriers and shame.
•Within the Garden, God provided Adam and Eve with a commandment that bore immense significance: "Be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28, Douay-Rheims Bible). This commandment emphasized the sacredness of human life and the divine purpose of procreation (nakedness) within the covenant of marriage. It spoke of the joy of bringing forth new life and the continuation of God's creative power through the union of man and woman.
•However, temptation found its way into the garden in the form of the deceitful serpent. Doubt crept into Adam and Eve's hearts, and they chose to disobey God's command. In that pivotal moment, sin entered the world, and the once unashamed nakedness bore the burden of shame and separation from God.
•As human history unfolded, God's plan for restoration was foreshadowed in the words of Job: "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: as it hath pleased the Lord so is it done: blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21, Douay-Rheims Bible). Job's words captured the essence of nakedness - the vulnerability and dependence on God for all things.
•The fulfillment of God's plan began with the miraculous conception of Jesus Christ, who came into the world through Mary, immaculate and pure. As Jesus entered the world, He embraced the vulnerability of nakedness, revealing the depths of God's humility and love for humanity. He was the embodiment of God's desire for intimate communion with His creation.
•JESUS encounter with Nicodemus revealed the path to spiritual rebirth. Jesus said, "Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5, Douay-Rheims Bible). This spiritual nakedness meant a complete surrender to God's grace, stripping away worldly attachments, and being born anew in the Spirit.
•The pinnacle of Jesus' vulnerability was seen on the Cross, where He died for the redemption of humanity. As Jesus hung there, completely exposed and vulnerable, the soldiers cast lots for His garments (Matthew 27:35), but in a deeper spiritual sense, Jesus remained naked, baring His soul before God and humanity. This act of sacrificial love unveiled the depths of God's love and His desire for intimate communion with us.
•Jesus' sacrifice foreshadowed the Epistle of John, which proclaims, "Behold what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and should be the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth not us, because it knew not Him. Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know, that, when He shall appear, we shall be like to Him: because we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:1-2, Douay-Rheims Bible). This unveiling of God's love invites us to be called as His children, to be transformed into His likeness, and to behold Him face to face in the eternal embrace of love.
•The Epistle of Paul reinforces the importance of spiritual nakedness, stating, "We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity" (1 Corinthians 13:12-13, Douay-Rheims Bible). In the presence of God's love, all barriers are removed, and we are known fully as we also fully know Him.
The story concludes with the most important part - the Holy Mass and the Holy Eucharist. In this sacred moment, God is both veiled and unveiled through the hands of the Priests. Under the appearance of bread and wine, God's body and blood are truly present, inviting believers into an intimate union with Him.
In Mary's embrace, we find the restoration of naked communion with God, a return to the pure and unashamed vulnerability of our hearts before Him. Through Jesus, God's love is unveiled, and the barriers that separated us are broken down. It is a tale of redemption, forgiveness, and the relentless pursuit of God's love for His beloved children, inviting us to be born anew in the Spirit and embrace the embrace of Mary's love, where we find the path to eternal and intimate communion with God.
