Clothing the naked: the third Corporal Work of Mercy and human dignity

The Works of Mercy through the eyes of a biblical scholar

Preparations continue for the reflection meeting on the Works of Mercy that will begin on July 17, 2023, in Lucca and conclude two weeks later. In this period leading up to the start, we will focus on each specific work, guided by biblical scholar Carlo Miglietta.

The third Corporal Work of Mercy is “clothing the naked”.

The biblical scholar points out that whoever performs this work is like:

• God, who when “Adam and Eve realized they were naked” (Gen 3:7), “made garments of skins for the man and his wife and clothed them” (Gen 3:21); and to the blessed, God will give “each of them a white robe” (Rev 6:11).
• Tobit, who “gave clothes to the naked” (Tob 1:17).

The biblical scholar also reminds us that whoever clothes the naked listens to the Word of God

Here are a few excerpts:

• “Give some of your clothing to the naked” (Tob 4:16)
• “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen…? Is it not… to provide the naked with clothing?” (Isa 58:6-7,10).
• Eliphaz the Temanite sees as the cause of Job’s suffering that he had “stripped the naked of their clothing” (Job 22:6).
• “Whoever covers the naked with clothing…, he is righteous and shall surely live: the word of the Lord” (Ezek 18:7,16).
• “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same” (Luke 3:11).
• “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, «Go in peace; keep warm and well fed», but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (Jas 2:15-16).

The biblical scholar concludes this work with a challenging question: do we know how to be “fishers of men” (Mark 1:17), recognizing those who clothe the naked and proclaiming to them the beatitude of Mercy that says “Blessed are the merciful” (Matt 5:7)?

Clothing as care for both body and soul

When thinking of a Saint associated with this work, Saint Martin of Tours immediately comes to mind. In the year 337, he cut his military cloak in half to share it with a beggar shivering from the cold at the gates of the city of Amiens. The other half of the cloak belonged to the Roman army in which he was enlisted.

The following night, Jesus appeared to him in a dream, dressed in the half of the cloak he had given, to thank him for the gesture. In 2021, Saint Martin of Tours, a key witness to evangelical charity, was proclaimed the patron saint of Italian volunteering.

In the Bible, nakedness is a sign of human fragility, poverty, marginalization, and the resulting need for care and love. We must remember that we are born naked, and in our mother’s womb we are sheltered solely by maternal love.

Clothing certainly performs a natural function, shielding the body from freezing cold and excessive heat; yet it also serves a social role regarding modesty, respect for human dignity, and personal worth. “Clothing the naked” is undoubtedly caring for the body, but also for the soul, guarding the intimacy and interior life of human beings, and reminding us that the soul likewise requires protection, custody, and care.

The Works, an instrument to restore dignity

Even in our fragile human condition, through the Works of Mercy we are capable of great things. When we infuse our actions with “spiritual meaning”, our deeds acquire greatness through the certainty of being Children of God. This produces saving fruits, above all restoring dignity to those who welcome the Works of Mercy into their daily lives.

spazio + spadoni seeks to foster this very awareness through the process of spreading the works across the world.

Photo by Erik Esly su Unsplash

Source: Carlo Miglietta – The Works of Mercy