Naked In Nirvana?

At Homiletic & Pastoral Review, Fr. Kenneth Baker S.J. explores the subject of post resurrection regalia. After the resurrection while we walk around in our glorified bodies, will we be naked or will we wear clothes? Fr. Baker takes a look at the positions for and against in this area of speculative theology.

1) They will be clothed. When the resurrected, glorified Jesus appeared to his apostles, he was clothed. The Gospels do not affirm that but they assume it. When our Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette at Lourdes and to the three children at Fatima, she was clothed in white—we know that from the images of her that the visionaries described. In the past, when saints and angels appeared to human beings on earth, they too were clothed in white. That makes sense for the sake of modesty, given our present sinful state. In the Book of Revelation, the saints before the throne of God are “wearing white robes” (7:9; see also 3:5; 4:4; 6:11; 7:13). But St. John did not see resurrected bodies because the universal resurrection has not yet taken place. The commentaries say that the white robes are symbolic of victory, joy and resurrection.

The glorified bodies of Jesus and Mary are clothed, but what is the nature of their clothing? Is it a glorified fabric, similar to a glorified body? What style is it? Jesus and Mary seem to appear in the clothing they wore in Jerusalem two thousand years ago.

2) They will not be clothed. Adam and Eve were naked before their fall into sin. The New Jerusalem at the end of the world will be like a return to the Garden of Eden. Since there is no concupiscence or attraction to sin, it would seem that the resurrected do not need clothes.

When Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning, he left the shroud in which he was wrapped, plus the cloth for his face (see John 20:5-7). Was he covered with glorified clothes we know nothing about?

Of course there will be no concupiscence or attraction to sin, but that doesn’t mean a little common sense shouldn’t prevail. Let’s say that you are walking along in your glorified body looking for something to do. You think, let’s see what the neighbors are up to. You stroll into the backyard (No locks, of course) and there are Dom Deluise, G.K. Chesterton, and Abe Vigoda doing pilates in all their glory!

Completely changes your perspective on 1 Cor. 2:9 “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what things God has prepared for those who love him,” doesn’t it?

Eye has not seen, nor has it entered into the heart of man. Yeah, and let’s keep it that way.