His disciples said, "When will you appear to us, and when will we see you?" Jesus said, "When you strip without being ashamed, and you take your clothes and put them under your feet like little children and trample then, then [you] will see the son of the living one and you will not be afraid." (37 Thomas)

In the second chapter of Genesis we read, "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves."

We have eaten fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But this knowledge is very seldom helpful to us. Despite what we know, we too often choose badly. We are left ashamed of ourselves.

There is nothing evil in nakedness. But there can be evil in seeking to possess another or denying our vulnerabilty to each other or in focusing our desires too narrowly. What we know is not nearly as helpful as how we relate to one another and especially how we are in relationship with God.

We are to be open with one another and with God. We are to love one another, God, and ourselves so deeply and naturally that even the frailities and foolishness of being naked will not make us ashamed, but only draw us closer.

Perhaps we will only see Jesus when we recognize Jesus in the nakedness, need, vulnerability, beauty, and glory of one another.