Emperor’s New Clothes

Learning how to follow the naked Christ

11/13/2022

Lk 21:5-19 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, "All that you see here-- the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down." Then they asked him, "Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?" He answered, "Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name."

Have you heard of the folktale by Hans Christian Andersen called “The Emperor’s New Clothes”? Today, I would like to give it a very different interpretation than the one you commonly hear, and probably not at all what Hans Christian Andersen himself intended! If you are not familiar with the folktale, let me summarize it for you.

Two swindlers (thieves) arrive at the capital of a city of a very vain emperor who spends lavishly on fancy clothing while neglecting his royal duties. The swindlers pose as weavers of fine clothes and offer to provide the emperor with magnificent clothes the likes of which have never been seen. But there’s a catch: the clothes are invisible to people who are stupid or incompetent. So guess what happens? Even though no one can see the clothes, they all pretend to see them because they don’t want other people to think they are foolish or incompetent. That is, there really is not magnificent suit but people pretend to see it.

Finally, the weavers report that they have completed the emperor’s fabulous new suit, and the material is so fine it is light as a feather. The emperor will hardly be able to feel it on his body (because there is nothing to feel). The weavers move their hands miming as if dressing the emperor – who also pretends to love the outfit so people don’t think he’s a fool. At last the duped emperor goes off in a royal procession through the whole city in his birthday suit, not dressed in any royal robes at all.

The townsfolk lining the streets uncomfortably go along with the ruse so, again, that no one thinks they are foolish because they cannot see the splendid suit. Then all of a sudden from the side of the street a small boy blurts out the obvious truth: “The emperor has no clothes!” Suddenly, the people stop pretending to see the suit, and have a good laugh at themselves and their naked emperor. But the vain emperor continues his parade oblivious to their laughter.

Now, that is the folktale by Hans Christian Andersen. But here is my interpretation, which I hope you will not think is too irreverent. I like to think of Jesus as the emperor, not in that he is vain or incompetent, like the one in the story. But rather, Jesus, too, wears royal robes that are also invisible to everyone except to those who have the eyes of faith. By the way, did you know that when Jesus was crucified, he was stripped of all his clothes? That is one of the 14 Stations of the Cross. The 10th Station reads: “Jesus is Stripped of his Garments.” In other words, Jesus on the Cross was as naked as the emperor in the Hans Christian Andersen folktale.

And what did people see who looked at Jesus on the Cross? Most of the people saw a bloody and beaten, naked, 33 year-old rabbi from Galilee being crucified by cruel Roman soldiers. But a few people – like Mary and John and other holy women – saw that Jesus was robed in glory on the Cross. What do I mean? Well, to the eyes of faith, Jesus is a holy priest and a powerful king robed in glory and splendor, shining brighter than the noonday sun as he hung upon the Cross. What do you see when you look at a crucifix: a naked man impaled on a tree, or the King of glory? In other words, Jesus is also an emperor being paraded through his kingdom, and some see his nakedness while others see his glory.

Now, here is the first take-home message for us (there are two take-aways today). It is not enough for us to follow Jesus as he wears his invisible robes and to gaze at him through the eyes of faith and see his splendor. We must put that invisible suit on ourselves and suffer the jeers and taunts of the crowds. In a sense, we too much look naked to others as we give up the world’s pomp and circumstance. Christians are called to keep all the world’s wealth at arm’s length while we cling to Christ alone, our only true possession.

St. Jerome in the 5th century put it perfectly in Latin: “Nudus nudum Christum sequi,” meaning “Naked to follow a naked Christ.” This is at least part of what Jesus meant in the gospel today when he said: “You will be hated by all because of my name.” In other words, as they laughed at my nakedness on the Cross – “The emperor has no clothes!” – so they will laugh at your poverty, your chastity, and your obedience, your “nakedness” of the things of this world.

Now, here is the second take-away today, and it has to do with Catholic schools. We have really exceptional Catholic schools in the Fort Smith area: Christ the King, Immaculate Conception, and Trinity Middle School. And I want to thank you for sending your children from Barling and Jenny Lind to these fine schools, and I would like to ask for your help with a second collection for Trinity today.

But besides math and science, volleyball and basketball, cheer and dance and quiz bowl, do you know the real reason Catholic schools exist? We try to teach students to see the Emperor’s new clothes – Jesus’ new clothes! – with the eyes of faith. Why? Because our Lord’s glory is invisible to the rest of the world.

That is why there is a crucifix in every classroom. So that when a student happens to glance at the crucifix, he or she might ask himself what they see? Do they merely see a 33 year-old, bloody, beaten, and dying rabbi. Or do they see the High Priest and eternal King, clothed in splendor and glory, seated on his throne judging all the nations. And so that one day they, too, might be inspired like St. Jerome to be “nudus nudum Christum sequi”, that is, naked to follow a naked Christ.

Praised be Jesus Christ!