Modest
Modesty should govern the way we dress
The Old Testament is filled with the image of God's
people being a holy people, set apart. The ancient Israelites were not like
their neighbors. Their values and their faith impacted everything about them.
They dressed differently than many of their neighboring pagan tribes. Their
worship was centered on the God that had revealed himself to them and made them
his chosen people. Their spiritual and moral views reflected this relationship
with the One God that had entered into communion with them and who had revealed
Divine Truth through the prophets.
The Church is the continuation of the Church of the
Old Testament and as such, we are the chosen people of God. Our lives should
reflect this truth in everything we do and in the moral standards that guide
our daily living.
These standards of faith should even govern the way we
dress. It is not only Orthodox monks and priests who should hold themselves to
dress codes that reflect modesty and purity. We are all called to be a people
set apart from this world. Christ's Kingdom is not of this world and we need to
dress in a way that does not bring temptation to others. For the Orthodox
Christian, tight and revealing clothing are not appropriate. We should not
reserve modest clothing for church services or when making pilgrimages to our
monasteries.
The center of our being is in the heart and the
attention of the mind must be fixed in the heart. What happens in the heart
assists us in the battle against the passions and assumes a rational character.
Modest attire for the layman is just as important as the robes of a monk in
aiding the quest for living a life given over to being, in every way, God's
chosen people.
With
love in Christ,
Abbot
Tryphon
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