Demeanor for receiving Eucharist

[PeteZaHut]

1387
To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the faithful should observe the fast required in their Church.220 Bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest.
-Catechism

Does it matter how you dress as long as it is not offensive or immodest and you are still recognizing the serious of receiving Christ?

 

[stinkcat_14]

1387
To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the faithful should observe the fast required in their Church.220 Bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest.
-Catechism

Does it matter how you dress as long as it is not offensive or immodest and you are still recognizing the serious of receiving Christ?

I don’t think it matters, given the caveats you have stated. For example, some would argue that men should wear a suit to mass. If we remove the jacket, does that convey less respect? Probably not, what if we remove the tie? Not in this case either. I think there is a wide range of appropriate clothing in this case.

 

[BigFeet]

We should dress as nicely as we are capable. If we were invited to an audience with the king of some country, we’d undoubtedly wear our finest clothes. How much nicer should we dress for the King of Kings? Many people dress as though they are going out into their yards to work, or as if they are going to the mall…disgraceful.

 

[jpjd]

1387
Does it matter how you dress as long as it is not offensive or immodest and you are still recognizing the serious of receiving Christ?

Yes, it matters.

If a person recognized the seriousness of receiving Christ, he or she would dress in a manner that reflects that. That manner may vary based on personal finances, the weather, work circumstances, etc, but overall, a person should dress as best as they are able given you are about to receive our* Deity, *who humbled Himself to become human so that He could sacrifice His human life to save our souls.

When you are getting ready for church, take a good look at a crucifix and then decide whether He is worth making an extra effort to look a little nicer than usual.

 

[PeteZaHut]

If you are dressing up for a king, that is because society has deemed certain clothing appropriate for that siutation. In church, I can feel just as humble and have just as much respect towards the Eucharist in everyday clothes. Honestly, dressing in a suit and tie wouldn’t help me bring out any more respect than any other type of clothing. I am mature enough to act appropraitely, knowing that I am in church. I don’t need dressy clothes to remind me of that.

Anyway, how do we know that God would think of a suit and tie better than a t-shirt and jeans? It’s society that has chosen which clothing is dressier than others.

I don’t mean to come back in a hostile manner. This is one that I just don’t see. If I can put myself in the same respectful demeanor for the Eucharist in casual clothes that I can in dressy clothes, I don’t see the point.

 

[stinkcat_14]

I think part of the problem is that we use man’s standards to determine what is appropriate. For example, some would argue that men should wear a tie to Mass. Why? Because they get their idea of what is appropriate clothing from the culture. If I dressed like Jesus dressed, some would consider it scandalous, although I am not sure why we could consider it inappropriate.

 

[LilyM]

We should dress as nicely as we are capable. If we were invited to an audience with the king of some country, we’d undoubtedly wear our finest clothes. How much nicer should we dress for the King of Kings? Many people dress as though they are going out into their yards to work, or as if they are going to the mall…disgraceful.

If we were invited to a barbecue, a sports game or a beach holiday with anyone, no matter how important, we wouldn’t wear suit and tie, nor anything like our best clothes.

Remember God is our Abba-Father as well as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I don’t wear suit and tie for Sunday lunch with my father, and I’m sure no King’s or President’s child does either.

And ‘finest clothes’? How many people do you see in their ballgowns, tuxedos and diamond tiaras in church each week then? THAT surely is their ‘finest’, yet no-one ever wears it in church.

And why does it matter? God is with us at all times - even when we’re naked - he would be as unimpressed by us throwing on some fancy duds for an hour or two a week as my father is when I dress up. My earthly and heavenly father both know me too well to judge me by anything but my heart.

 

[jpjd]

Who said it had to be a suit and tie? Isn’t there anything else that is appropriate for Mass? I am talking about clothing appropriate to the Mass, which would could be anything befitting the occasion of worship. I am talking about something better than what a person would wear to a ballgame or other common activity. Mass, on the other hand, is decidedly NOT a common activity. It is a supernatural activity, one in which we “meet” God.

Yes, society has deemed that certain clothes are appropriate for certain activities. Because we follow the rules of our society, we say that certain clothes are appropriate for Mass. Why some people feel that they have to follow society’s dress standards for an “occasion” but not for our Lord’s Sacrifice of the Mass, I’ll never understand.

Remember, the Lord told Moses to take off his sandals for he was on holy ground. What difference does it make if his sandals were on or off? Apparently it made some difference to God. Being in a holy place in the presence of God should be recongnized by us mere humans by our demeanor, and that includes our dress – yes, according to society’s standards.

 

[Genesis315]

The most important dress-code requirement is that you wear your white wedding garment (in other words, you are in the state of grace).

 

[LilyM]

Why some people feel that they have to follow society’s dress standards for an “occasion” but not for our Lord’s Sacrifice of the Mass, I’ll never understand.

Because social occasions are just that - SOCIAL, meaning the emphasis is on our interaction with our fellow limited humans, who are apt to judge us by our dress. So dress and presentation matter on such occasions.

Mass is not an ‘occasion’, it’s much more important than that, but also deeper. It’s us being present at Calvary. Can you really picture the Blessed Virgin or Mary Magdalene dashing home to touch up their lipstick and put on their finest before they accompanied Jesus to his death?

The Almighty surely is above and beyond considering what we put on our backs, beyond a bare minimum - that we dress modestly, for example.

And remember St Francis of Assisi. He and his brothers wore whatever castoff rags they could beg from people, in season and out. They certainly didn’t dress up for Mass. And yet he of all the saints, after the Blessed Virgin of course, has been described as the most perfect imitator of Christ.

 

[BigFeet]

And remember St Francis of Assisi. He and his brothers wore whatever castoff rags they could beg from people, in season and out. They certainly didn’t dress up for Mass.

Sorry, but that’s a really poor analogy. Certainly, if all you own are rags, then that’s all you are able to wear to Mass. How many of these people who show up to Mass dressed like they’re going to the shopping mall actually own much nicer clothes that they only choose to wear to a job interview, etc. Dressing up to go see someone special is a sign of respect. Who’s more special than God?

Equating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to “having lunch with your father” is a horrible thing to say. This is not some casual relationship between “friends” at a barbecue. This is the creature in the True Presence of the Creator. If you cannot get dressed up for Him, then who would you possibly get dressed up for?

Tell you what. If you think it’s no big deal, then leave instructions in your will that when you die, you want to be dressed in the same sloppy casual clothes for your wake and funeral that you wore to Mass while you were alive. Put your money where your mouth is…

 

[LilyM]

Sorry, but that’s a really poor analogy. Certainly, if all you own are rags, then that’s all you are able to wear to Mass. How many of these people who show up to Mass dressed like they’re going to the shopping mall actually own much nicer clothes that they only choose to wear to a job interview, etc. Dressing up to go see someone special is a sign of respect. Who’s more special than God?

Equating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to “having lunch with your father” is a horrible thing to say. This is not some casual relationship between “friends” at a barbecue. This is the creature in the True Presence of the Creator. If you cannot get dressed up for Him, then who would you possibly get dressed up for?

Tell you what. If you think it’s no big deal, then leave instructions in your will that when you die, you want to be dressed in the same sloppy casual clothes for your wake and funeral that you wore to Mass while you were alive. Put your money where your mouth is…

In all seriousness I don’t care if I’m buried naked. :nope:

In fact I find it obscenely wasteful to bury people in fancy clothing. And I can put all that in my will if you like, though i don’t have a will yet so I’d have to write it up special

I repeat, God is NOT a fellow human being who will be impressed in the slightest by my throwing on some fancy clothes for an hour or two a week - not when my soul is exactly the same soul naked or clothed or in fancy dress.

And I also repeat - St Francis is said of all the saints after Our Lady to be the most perfect imitator of Christ. Rags and all. And he was certainly capable of procuring better clothes for Sundays - he was from one of the richest families in Assisi! He CHOSE to dress the way he did.

IF you truly want to honour Christ, then imitate Him and Francis and dress likewise and put YOUR money where YOUR mouth is!

My apologies for offending your delicate sensibilities in referring to Mass as a ‘lunch’. I simply meant to convey the sense of a regular weekly event where you meet with your Father. I was more concerned with making the point that as our Father, God knows us too well to judge us by what we wear for an hour or two a week.

 

[Yellow_Belle]

Occasionally I am rostered at work in such a way that I am able to attend a weekday, lunch-time Mass in a local Franciscan church. I am there in my work clothes and almost everyone else is there in theirs. Among those who regularly attend are two Polish workmen from a nearby construction site whose clothes would never be described as ‘neat and tidy’. Somehow, I cannot imagine how the Lord could be offended by this.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

We should dress as nicely as we are capable. If we were invited to an audience with the king of some country, we’d undoubtedly wear our finest clothes. How much nicer should we dress for the King of Kings? Many people dress as though they are going out into their yards to work, or as if they are going to the mall…disgraceful.

Let me bring up the Sermon on the Mount. There were huge crowds around just in their daily dress. The fishes and loves of bread still multiplied. The daily dress of 20-30AD is a far cry from the suits and ties of today.

Also consider warmer, tropical regions. Suits and ties are impractical down there. The biggest thing is having people show up for mass, no matter how they come.

 

[BigFeet]

Occasionally I am rostered at work in such a way that I am able to attend a weekday, lunch-time Mass in a local Franciscan church. I am there in my work clothes and almost everyone else is there in theirs. Among those who regularly attend are two Polish workmen from a nearby construction site whose clothes would never be described as ‘neat and tidy’. Somehow, I cannot imagine how the Lord could be offended by this.

That’s fine. That’s the best you can do under the circumstances with having to work, and wear your work clothes to daily Mass. But we’re referring to Sunday Mass here…the Lord’s day. Where people come from their homes and go to Mass dressed like they have absolutely no reverence for God. We need to do the best we can in our situation. God knows what we’re capable of…

We should offer Christ our best in all that we do, and the same is true of our dress. We should offer Christ our “Sunday best”, not just our everyday wear or common wear.

 

[PeteZaHut]

If you cannot get dressed up for Him, then who would you possibly get dressed up for?

I don’t get dressed up for God because he won’t appreciate me any more for it, like a boss, or president, etc. would. He is not of this world.

 

[jpjd]

Personally, I think God very much appreciates the extra effort to dress especially for Mass. It’s how I show respect. It bestows a special honor to Him. And it shows that I hold Mass in special regard, that it’s not the same as going to the mall – it’s going to Mass.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

Wear modest clothing that does not draw attention to itself. If you do that, that is sufficient.

Climate IS a consideration. In the Mojave Desert, where I live, suits or jackets and ties would be highly impractical. As it is, we have older people who keel over regularly at Mass during the summer months, the EMTs have to come into the church to help them, etc. I think we’re called to exercise a modicum of common sense.

 

[BigFeet]

As it is, we have older people who keel over regularly at Mass during the summer months, the EMTs have to come into the church to help them, etc…

Perhaps your parish council should consider purchasing air conditioning for your church.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

Perhaps your parish council should consider purchasing air conditioning for your church.

We have one, with a new compressor that cost 50,000 dollars.
You come in from the heat still hot, often ill with it. It’s only God-given common sense to dress for the climate. You could obviously take it too far and that’s why I said modesty was the paramount issue.