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Are High Quality Garments a Waste for Catholics?

A historian, Herbert Norris, notes in his work Church Vestments: Origin and Development the way

women honored Christ in His ministry through their craftsmanship. In Luke 8 there’s mention of

the women who followed and ministered to Jesus and the apostles, “Many who provided for them

out of their resources.” Some historians note that it is likely these women would have provided Jesus

with “the garments recognized amongst Christians as one of great honor and dignity…who as a

labor of love use their means and skill over beautiful garments and accessories for the glory of

God.”


Women know the need for beauty to captivate and call one into the truth. Beauty draws us to

something bigger than ourselves. The women who followed Christ desired to adorn Him in worthy

attire not because he needed it. Not even because He demanded it.


They adorned Him in worthy attire because they wanted to honor Him. The women of the New

Testament recognized the benefit of a physical expression of truth. Beauty calls us to contemplate

truth and goodness. Christ wearing the garments appropriate for a teacher in His time caused

witnesses to wonder who He might be before they even heard His words or witnessed His miracles.

The women who followed Christ chose to use their own skills and craftsmanship to offer worship to

Christ.


Some said their adorning was a waste.

Look to the encounter of the anointing at Bethany in Mark 14:3-9 where a woman offers her whole

dowry to Christ the Bridegroom: “When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon

the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke

the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.”


Notice the response noted by the Evangelists, “There were some who were indignant. ‘Why has

there been this waste of perfumed oil? It could have been sold for more than three hundred days’

wages and the money given to the poor.’ They were infuriated with her.”


Infuriated! So many angered by this lavishness arguing that surely God would not want any outward

sign of wealth or beauty offered to Him.


Just as some might exclaim:

“Lace on vestments is unnecessary!”

“Incense is excessive”

“Do we really need the tabernacle to be gold?”

“Why do we have to purchase fresh flowers for the altar?”


To which Christ responds, “Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good

thing for me. The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to

them, but you will not always have me. She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for burial. Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what

she has done will be told in memory of her.”


He is moved and glorified by her offering and adorning. There is something about extravagant

beauty and the attention to detail that call us to contemplate the supernatural.

When our senses are elevated, our hearts are caught up too.

Yes, anyone can abuse, misuse, and even misunderstand beauty. But that doesn’t mean we must strip

it away out of fear.


Litany delights in the slow and careful work of crafting each garment diligently. We love the

spectacular details in each piece as a way of honoring the Creator and reflecting His heart. Some

might say our approach to sustainability is overdone or ethical standards too lavish. But certainly,

nothing in our production process is wasted. We delight to draw attention to the Gospel and rich

heritage of the Church through each design. We hope our garments remind you of eternity.

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