St Thomas Aquinas quote - question

[Monica4316]

I thought of asking this in the Vocations forum but it’s more about a Church teaching and St Thomas Aquinas, - maybe there are some here who are well familiar with the Summa (I am not, I just read a quote).

I am not sure what my vocation is so I’m just asking generally. In the Summa. St Thomas Aquinas says that those who are not called to marriage (does this include those who are discerning religious life?) - should avoid “adornment”:

"But those women who have no husband nor wish to have one, or who are in a state of life inconsistent with marriage, cannot without sin desire to give lustful pleasure to those men who see them, because this is to incite them to sin. And if indeed they adorn themselves with this intention of provoking others to lust, they sin mortally; whereas if they do so from frivolity, or from vanity for the sake of ostentation, it is not always mortal, but sometimes venial. And the same applies to men in this respect. Hence Augustine says (Ep. ccxlv ad Possid.): “I do not wish you to be hasty in forbidding the wearing of gold or costly attire except in the case of those who being neither married nor wishful to marry, should think how they may please God: whereas the others think on the things of the world, either husbands how they may please their wives, or wives how they may please their husbands, except that it is unbecoming for women though married to uncover their hair, since the Apostle commands them to cover the head.” Yet in this case some might be excused from sin, when they do this not through vanity but on account of some contrary custom: although such a custom is not to be commended.

here’s the quote in context: newadvent.org/summa/3169.htm

I was thinking about this, - what kind of adornment is the Saint speaking about here? I realize this is something to be discerned through prayer, with spiritual direction, etc, since God knows the specifics of each person’s discernment… but I was just wondering what St Thomas meant, and if there are other Saints who have talked of this as well. My question is, does anyone know if this quote is talking about jewellery, etc, - or can other things such as colour of clothing be considered “adornment”? This brings up a whole other topic, of how people in this state of life should dress. Again I understand that this is ultimately discerned through prayer and spiritual direction. But maybe someone has more information, from St Thomas Aquinas or other Saints, about what is meant here by this term.

Thanks

 

[James224]

I thought of asking this in the Vocations forum but it’s more about a Church teaching and St Thomas Aquinas, - maybe there are some here who are well familiar with the Summa (I am not, I just read a quote).

I am not sure what my vocation is so I’m just asking generally. In the Summa. St Thomas Aquinas says that those who are not called to marriage (does this include those who are discerning religious life?) - should avoid “adornment”:

here’s the quote in context: newadvent.org/summa/3169.htm

I was thinking about this, - what kind of adornment is the Saint speaking about here? I realize this is something to be discerned through prayer, with spiritual direction, etc, since God knows the specifics of each person’s discernment… but I was just wondering what St Thomas meant, and if there are other Saints who have talked of this as well. My question is, does anyone know if this quote is talking about jewellery, etc, - or can other things such as colour of clothing be considered “adornment”? This brings up a whole other topic, of how people in this state of life should dress. Again I understand that this is ultimately discerned through prayer and spiritual direction. But maybe someone has more information, from St Thomas Aquinas or other Saints, about what is meant here by this term.

Thanks

I don’t know the specifics but, on the positive side, it’s about modesty. All of us are to let our virtue be our adornment. In order for our holiness to come through, modesty in dress, conversation and actions should be such that it is not impeded. Every once in awhile, I will see a woman in modest dress and the way she carries herself and it is so attractive! Attractive is a good way. I don’t think men and women today realize how beautiful it is!