Clothing And Humility

Nonnulli etiam sunt, qui rectae intentionis studio vilibus indumentis diutius assueti, si contingat aliquando, ut quantumlibet mollioribus contegantur, liberae humilitatis supercilio dedignante fastidiunt; et sicut alii foedis, ita isti pretiosis indui vestibus erubescent; delicatos sane habitus tolerant, despicabilium asperitate fruuntur; fiunt illis omnia corporum ornamenta dedecori, deformitas honestati. Horum quidem Esther speciem tenuerat, cum dicebat: Tu scis, Domine, necessitatem meam, quod abominer signum superbiae et gloriae meae, quod est super caput meum in diebus ostentationis meae, et detester illud quasi pannum menstruatae et non portem in diebus silentii mei. Hi quidem sancti desiderii ardore fervescunt, adhuc tamen adversum passionum suarum tentamenta confligutn. Alii autem ad tantae mortificationis celesitudinem pervenerunt, quod jam ad utraque velut insensibiles facti, sicut vilibus indui consuetudinaliter expetunt, ita etiam ubi res exigit, pretiosa quaeque, vel nitida nullatenus perhorrescunt: utraque scilicet uno contemplantes aspectu, quos nimirum mollia non resolvunt, et aspera non affligunt. Istorum quoque forma Judith fuerat, quae videlict ciliciis eatenus usa, cum necessitas petiit, diversis se corporeae venustatis infulis adornavit, sancta testante Scriptura, quae ait: Abstulit a se Judith cilicium, et exuit se vestimentis viduitatus suae, et lavit corpus suum, et unxit se myrto optimo, et discriminavit crinem capitis sui, et imposuit mitram super caput suum, et induit se vestimentis jucunditatis suae, induitque sandlia pedibus suis, et assumpsit destrariola, et lilia, et inaures, et annulos, et omnibus ornamentis suis ornavit se. Cum his igitur ornametntis sancta femina et verae circa se humilitatis custodiam tenuit, et eum, quo locupletate fuerat, paupertatis spiritum non amisit. Sanctus Peter Damianus, De Contemptu Saeculi, Caput XIX Source: Migne PL 145.271 a-c

Indeed they are not a few who with a zeal of right intention, having long adopted vile clothing, if it sometimes happens that they should wear some sort of softer garment, are scornful of it with a sort of sneering arrogance of outspoken humility, and as others blush at ugly things, so they do to clothe themselves in expensive garb. Plainly they are burdened by delicate vestments and enjoy the bitterness of despicable ones. To them all ornaments of the body are shameful and only ugliness is noble. Esther held to this image of them when she said, 'You know, Lord, my necessity, that I revile the sign of my pride and glory, which is on my head in the days of my appearing, and I detest it as a menstrual rag, and do not bear it upon me in the days of my silence.' 1 These sort certainly burn with the flame of holy desire, but they yet struggle amid the trials of their passions. Others, however, have come to a heaven of such great mortifications that they have now been made insensible to both, so that though they desire to wear vile things, yet indeed, when the matter demands something more precious or brighter, they are not at all horrified, considering both under one aspect, so that they are not corrupted by softness and not afflicted by roughness. Of these was the form of Judith, she who indeed took to the use of hair shirts, then when necessity demanded it, she adorned herself with fair decorations of the body, as Holy Scripture testifies: 'Take off your hair shirt Judith, and the garb of your widowhood, and wash your body and anoint yourself with finest myrtle, and comb out the hair of your head, and place a garland on your head, and put on joyful clothing, and sandals on your feet, and take up anklets and bracelets and earrings and rings, and with every ornament adorn yourself.' 2 Thus with these ornaments this holy woman held to the guarding of true humility, and with what she was enriched, she did not lose poverty of spirit. Saint Peter Damian, On Contempt For The World, Chap 19 1 Esther 14.16 2 Judith 10.1-3