Demeanor for receiving Eucharist

[anniemart]

I think that if you could give God a sign of respect mentally instead of genuflecting, it would be of equal value. No one except for you and God need to know you are doing it. The problem with that it is a lot easier to genuflect than to figure out how to give God a quick sign of respect in our mind. We have no choice but to do an external sign of respect and humility in the case of genuflecting.

**Since this thread was originally focused on “demeanor” which is our behavior and attitude **when receiving Holy Communion, and not about who is wearing what, I’d like to ask you something: When you genuflect Petezahut, do you do so more in habit? Surely you have some true reverence every time you do it, no? If your answer is yes, then it is a very, very, profound **mental and outward **sign of respect for Our Lord and King.

As far as “dressed up” is concerned, again, there is nothing wrong with dressing your absolute best for worshipping Our Lord and King. The term itself indicates profound reverence. And there is nothing wrong with anyone who would like to see more do the same.

If this bothers anyone, then consider that dressing up when worshipping Our Lord and King is the norm in our society; **a norm accepted by generations for hundreds of years. **

One way to know if you are in the norm is to take an honest look around at others in church the next time you assist at mass. If you are the only one in a T-shirt because you chose to wear that, then you don’t fit the norm. Should you be ostracized? Of course not. Should you give it a second thought? Not unless your pastor brings it up. Your choice is your choice after all. But please don’t look at everyone else and think them unnecessarily attired.

Now,if you are not the only one in a T-shirt, and there is only one person clothed in what you deem “dressed up for church” then that person definitely doesn’t fit the norm in that church, right? Right. Should he be ostracized? Of course not. On the other hand, if your church is evenly split here, then it would appear that everyone is graciously accepting of everyone else. A good thing.

Sadly, this topic will always be a sensitive one for many. My opinion is that those “many” include more often those who prefer t-shirts and flip flops. Why is there such a desire to defend your choice here? Let it go and don your t-shirt! Worship Our Lord and King! And I’ll do the same. Peace.

 

[Yellow_Belle]

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.

Sorry, but I’m afraid I still don’t get your point.

Every day is the Lord’s day as far as I’m concerned and the Mass I attend on a weekday is no less special to me than the one I attend on Sunday. I always dress modestly and tidily but my ‘style’ (for lack of a better word) is casual. In general I am uninterested in clothes and rarely notice what anyone is wearing unless it is blatantly provocative. Inititally I noticed the Polish construction workers not because of their clothes but because they are young men in their twenties and therefore ‘stood out’ from the older profile of the rest of the congregation.

I rather think I don’t possess anything that might fit into your category of ‘Sunday best’. In fact, the business suit I wear to work is probably the ‘dressiest’ item of clothing I own. That is the way I am as a woman and I believe it is the way I am accepted by the Lord.

1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.”

Luke 12:22-23

Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.

1 Timothy 2:9-10

Similarly, women should adorn themselves with proper conduct, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hairstyles and gold ornaments, or pearls, or expensive clothes, but rather, as befits women who profess reverence for God, with good deeds.

1 Peter 3:3-4

Your adornment should not be an external one: braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or dressing in fine clothes, but rather the hidden character of the heart, expressed in the imperishable beauty of a gentle and calm disposition, which is precious in the sight of God.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

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.

So you wear a tuxedo when you go to Mass?

Jim

 

[Philothea53]

So you wear a tuxedo when you go to Mass?

Jim

And, would that be wrong? NO!

There is a man at my Parish who wears a tuxedo during the Triduum, on Christmas Eve at midnight mass, etc. Otherwise he wears a suit.

I work in a school and wear pants daily. On Sunday I wear a dress, nylons and heels. I try to make that extra effort for our Lord who gave his all for us.

 

[PeteZaHut]

As far as “dressed up” is concerned, again, there is nothing wrong with dressing your absolute best for worshipping Our Lord and King. The term itself indicates profound reverence. And there is nothing wrong with anyone who would like to see more do the same.

I absolutely agree, and I didn’t make this thread to criticize anyone, but I have gotten the sense that some people look down upon other people that don’t dress up for church.

 

[Philothea53]

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.

Considering the time a Priest takes and the prayers he must say when vesting for Mass in the beautifully embroidered vestments using the correct liturgical color for the season and then reading that “The Almighty surely is above and beyond considering what we put on our backs” - I don’t know, it just doesn’t make sense to me. I’m not trying to specifically pick on what you have said - yours was the first where I got the thought about Priests ‘dressing’ for Mass.

But, with that in mind, does it seem right to show up in shorts and a tank top or sweats from the gym?

 

[LilyM]

And, would that be wrong? NO!

There is a man at my Parish who wears a tuxedo during the Triduum, on Christmas Eve at midnight mass, etc. Otherwise he wears a suit.

I work in a school and wear pants daily. On Sunday I wear a dress, nylons and heels. I try to make that extra effort for our Lord who gave his all for us.

Again - why does he only wear a tuxedo in the Triduum? If clothes are so directly related to inward demeanor then it necessarily follows he’s being less than sufficiently respectful (giving only his half or three-quarters rather than his all) at the non-Easter Masses.

And why do you yourself dress differently on Sundays? You’re saying that Our Lord in the Eucharist not worth the extra effort every single day, every single Mass. It’s all Calvary, no Mass is intrinsically different from any other.

So likewise it necessarily follows that you’re being half-hearted on weekdays, or you’d change prior to Mass or after Mass even then. If one accepts your logic, that is.

And Philothea, the priest vests to show his dignity and status, and his role, much like a judge wears robes or a policeman his uniform. And also because our priests emulate those of the Old Testament who were ordered to vest in finery by God.

Notice that the Old Testament DOESN’T order EVERYONE to dress in finery, though God could easily have done so had He wished, just the priests.

 

[Melo]

I always try to dress up for Mass. It does bother me to see people in tank tops and shorts but I try not to let it affect me. When I catch myself thinking about someone elses clothes, I try to remember that it is not my place to judge and return my focus to where it should be…on God.

 

[Philothea53]

Again - why does he only wear a tuxedo in the Triduum? If clothes are so directly related to inward demeanor then it necessarily follows he’s being less than sufficiently respectful (giving only his half or three-quarters rather than his all) at the non-Easter Masses.

He wears a suit

Because we are not ordered to dress for our Lord doesn’t negate the fact that we should. The Priest dresses in finery, praying while he dons each piece yet some feel it is okay to come to honor our Lord - on His day nonetheless - in short shorts, low cut tank taps, and flip flops. You don’t see the disconnect? While one man wears a tux in celebration, another might wear a suit or clean khakis and a polo. The point is that these are different than what they wear for the gym, to work, to watch the game. Each of course comes from a different background and a different financial situation. But to honor the Lord’s Day with a ‘Sunday Best’ outfit is respectful. To feel it is unnecessary to make that extra effort is half-hearted, if you accepts your logic, that is.