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jpjd
Guest
I don’t know why everyone keeps going back to the suit and tie. There are other ways to dress up, even in 100 degree weather. The point is, show respect.
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thechrismyster
Guest
aren’t most of us capable, in the truest sense of the word, of renting a tuxedo and ball gown (for the ladies) from a local tailor to wear to Mass? I mean, if we want to pick hairs, a Tux says 'i care". a simple suit jacket means “i almost care”. If the King of Kings were to appear on a cloud outside Mass one day, would a simple pair of chinos and a sport coat say “i tried”… whereas me, in my blazing tux with the cufflinks nice and shiny… whhhooooweeee. that says “I CARE” like a simple suit jacket never could.
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LilyM
Guest
As if anything you or I do could EVER bestow honour to God! The vanity of the idea that we can add anything to Him!
And I certainly show the Mass great respect and hold it in special regard - I show it by the time I spend in prayerful preparation for it and in prayerful thanksgiving afterwards, by the reverence of my bodily gestures and deportment, and by my whole-hearted focus on and attention to the Mass.
I don’t believe anyone could possibly think I was mistaking it for the mall if they saw me, regardless of my lack of fancy threads. Casual clothing does not equal a casual attitude - not for me.
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anniemart
Guest
I do not believe that the jpjd was in any way attempting to “bestow” any such vanity upon the Lord.
If my brothers and sisters want to show up in in t-shirts and flip flops…so be it. Would I do the same? No. does it make me better? No. is their internal reverence less than mine? I don’t know…but I will always, always, want to look as nicely as I can for Jesus.
One who might consider me mistaken in thinking that it isn’t necessary for me to dress up should reexamine their own priorities. Perhaps a thing or two might be considered worthy of change…
Besides, I might die in the rattiest pair of shorts I own wearing the rattiest pair of drawers and the rattiest t-shirt I own but that will be then.
Hence, my moment of judgment will probably be a little too casual in dress for me…Until then, I will keep my eyes focused on how I worship our Lord and hope that somewhere, somehow, it is seen as a positive thing to emulate.
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BigFeet
Guest
Oh, that’s it. Good one. That has to be that the best excuse for wearing jeans and a T-shirt to Mass. “Since It would be silly to wear a tux to Mass, I’ll wear the same clothes I wear when I’m plopped in front of the TV watching a football game and sucking down beers.”
Nice try.
Lex orandi, lex credendi.
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Mary1973
Guest
I’ve been reading all these comments and wonder about the ages of the posters. I’d be willing to bet that the posters who were exposed to pre Vatican II Mass are the ones who dress up and those who believe that dress doesn’t matter are younger. Of course, I could be all wet here.
My attitude is that we should dress for Mass in the best clothes we own. It is a sign of respect. For some people, this might mean jeans and a T-shirt. For others, it may be a suit for men and a dress for women.
There is a fellow who attends Mass on EWTN regularly. He wears overalls. Is this a sign of disrespect? I doubt it. I have a feeling he goes to Mass before he goes to work.
If clothes don’t matter, why don’t we go on job interviews in shorts and a tank top? If clothes don’t matter, would you wear torn jeans and a dirty sweatshirt to court?
My attitude is that we should dress for Mass in the best clothes we own. It is a sign of respect. For some people, this might mean jeans and a T-shirt. For others, it may be a suit for men and a dress for women.
There is a fellow who attends Mass on EWTN regularly. He wears overalls. Is this a sign of disrespect? I doubt it. I have a feeling he goes to Mass before he goes to work.
If clothes don’t matter, why don’t we go on job interviews in shorts and a tank top? If clothes don’t matter, would you wear torn jeans and a dirty sweatshirt to court?
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LilyM
Guest
Let’s repeat - clothes matter TO OTHER PEOPLE (and sometimes to us, if we’re somewhat insecure or what have you) - never to God. We sometimes need to dress up FOR OTHER PEOPLE - or for ourselves if our self-confidence needs boosting or what have you. Never for God.
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LilyM
Guest
Well, if clothes are an essential part of Sunday worship then you are indeed saying God isn’t worthy of your best if you’re not wearing a tux or ballgown. Your ‘lex credendi’ would appear to be that second or third-best (or worse) is good enough for God. You’re saying God is ONLY worth as much as your boss, if that, and Mass is not as important as your high-school graduation.Oh, that’s it. Good one. That has to be that the best excuse for wearing jeans and a T-shirt to Mass. “Since It would be silly to wear a tux to Mass, I’ll wear the same clothes I wear when I’m plopped in front of the TV watching a football game and sucking down beers.”
Nice try.
Lex orandi, lex credendi.
Your logic stinks as much as anyone’s.
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stmaria
Guest
Matthew 22:2-14
"But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, 12 and he said to him,
Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And the man was speechless. 13 "Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
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stmaria
Guest
catholicmodesty.com/Homily_16_May_2004.htm
“We must remain unspotted by the world. And, of all places, we ought to show this by our behavior at the holy Sacrifice of the Mass… especially by our manner of dress. Said another way, beach wear belongs at the beach, not at holy mass. And yet how many Catholics this Summer will attend Sunday Mass in tank tops, shorts, flip flops… in dress unbecoming of the Holy Sacrifice. No knobby knees nor tank tops please. Anyone who dresses like this at Sunday Mass does not know where they are; they have become spotted by the world”
“We must remain unspotted by the world. And, of all places, we ought to show this by our behavior at the holy Sacrifice of the Mass… especially by our manner of dress. Said another way, beach wear belongs at the beach, not at holy mass. And yet how many Catholics this Summer will attend Sunday Mass in tank tops, shorts, flip flops… in dress unbecoming of the Holy Sacrifice. No knobby knees nor tank tops please. Anyone who dresses like this at Sunday Mass does not know where they are; they have become spotted by the world”
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BigFeet
Guest
Oh, really. Apparently, you don’t read the Bible, nor other posts before you post, but here goes again:
Exodus 3:5
God said, "Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
Tell us where on earth today is more holy than before the holy altar in Catholic churches?
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zjl56
Guest
This is where you must exercise prudence, for you can overdress and stand out as well. Everyone should try to dress accordingly to blend in, and put forth all attention on the mass. It is so much more important to spiritually prepare ourselves for the Eucharist, and I would rather have someone be ill-dressed then to profane the Eucharist spiritually.
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LilyM
Guest
And you think Christ meant by this anything other than that we must be SPIRITUALLY ‘dressed’ appropriately? In the correct attitude of thankfulness, gratitude, love, humility and reverence? None of which relates in the slightest to our exterior dress?
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stmaria
Guest
" thankfulness, gratitude, love, humility and reverence" ALL relate to the way we dress before God. I can’t count the number of times I have seen shorts and sandals and even pajamas at Mass.Not to mention tank tops ,football uniforms, baseball caps.
Show some respect.
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LilyM
Guest
" thankfulness, gratitude, love, humility and reverence" ALL relate to the way we dress before God. I can’t count the number of times I have seen shorts and sandals and even pajamas at Mass.Not to mention tank tops ,football uniforms, baseball caps.
Show some respect.
So the fact that you or I may say our morning prayers in our pyjamas - during which time we are very much also before God remember - means we are lacking in these virtues somehow? And in respect as well? Do you dress up to pray at home? Shame on you for not respecting God if you don’t.
Gimme a break!
We’re in God’s presence at all times - whether we be naked, in the shower, on the toilet. If it’s not disrespectful or unloving or in any way ‘less than’ to pray in these situations and states of undress - and St Teresa of Avila herself said she prayed on the can- then it isn’t so to be in casual dress in Mass either.
Of course it can be scandalising to neighbour, and thus sinful in itself, to be dressed in an extremely inappropriate manner. But beyond modesty and cleanliness it’s very much personal opinion.
I’m glad you feel that you’re being respectful to God by dressing up for Him. I’ll defend your right to do so since this is the case.
For me it would be fraudulent and phony, in fact the phrase ‘whitewashed sepulchre’ would come to mind at times, as well as a severe temptation to vanity (I’m vain enough without!), probably for plenty of my neighbours as well, if I did so.
But that’s just me of course. Couldn’t possibly apply to anyone else who dresses up :nope:
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StatCrux
Guest
I propose that our exterior does reflect our interior. Obviously this is not ALWAYS the case. I don’t think the Polish construction workers would be anything but warmly accepted by our Lord.
But if you COULD dress up, but deliberately chose not to, how could you explain yourself? If the argument is, “All thats is my interior” all signs of devotion become optional. Why do anything (genuflect to the tabernacle etc.)?
Perhaps Christ was saying this wedding guest’s exterior reflected his interior. Remember, this guy came to the feast so its not like his entire interior was turned away from the King! If the feast were really important to him, he would have clothed himself appropriately both interiorly and exteriorly. If the sacrifice of the Holy Mass is important, dress up (not for society but for God). I’m going to dress up in stuffy old clothing rather than a T-shirt and jeans to remind myself of how special and holy this time is and to demonstrate in a physical way my gratitude to God (kind of like the idea of fasting). I dress up *because *it reflects my interior.
Is it absolutely required? Of course not. But I don’t understand why one would say to themselves, “I am going to Mass in an hour, but I am NOT going to change into nice clothing.” My question to you is: barring exceptional circumstances, why not? No one has responded to why God would ask Moses to remove his sandals.
Outward signs can help carry us through difficulty and make us more interiorly receptive.
To the comment on the age of people and their particular form of dress: I am 21 and always wear a long pants and a tie to Sunday Mass (even in the summer). If it is a weekday Mass (which is in between classes for me) and I know I am going, I will at least wear a collared shirt for the day (I would wear shorts in this case if it were really hot).
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JKirkLVNV
Guest
Absolutely nothing is holier, you’re quite right.
Following your logic, therefore, Holy Mother Church has lead the faithful into impiety by not requiring us to remove our shoes before we enter church.
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LilyM
Guest
And they as often as not create more unnecessary difficulty and distract us from being interiorly receptive. As I’ve said in my own case.
The poster above who was noting in great detail everything that everyone else wore to church is a prime example.
If their interior is so great and in such harmony with their reverent and focused exterior then why do they even pay so much attention to everyone else? Why are they not at least a little more recollected on the miracle happening on the altar before them?
I certainly don’t worry half as much about what goes on around me in church - not to the point where such trivia as baseball caps distress me!
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AngelsAmongUs
Guest
Well I guess I’ll throw my .02 worth in here. I, personally dress nice for Mass. But I just found out that my father-in-law would be coming to Mass tomorrow morning. He is not Catholic but he did come to RCIA classes last Wednesday and I hope and pray that the Holy Spirit is leading him here. Having said that, I don’t care if my father-in-law shows up in blue jeans and a t-shirt just as long as he comes so that he may hear the words of our Lord. Because IMO that is THE most important thing. I don’t care how he gets there, just as long as he gets there. His wife, my mother-in-law, will be dressed nice as she dresses nice everywhere she goes. But I think God will smile down on the both of them because they are coming to Mass with us.
Now, could you imagine if I smirked at him and said something about his clothes? I doubt I could get him to come back. I’m looking at the big picture here, and that is get him in the door. God will do the rest. If my comments about the clothes he chose to put on prevented or deterred him in any way from coming to Mass, then I’m afraid I would have some explaining to do when I stand before the Lord. Who am I to stand in this man’s judgment when it is obvious the Lord is working in him already.
And in the words of Forest Gump…that’s all I got to say about that.
Now, could you imagine if I smirked at him and said something about his clothes? I doubt I could get him to come back. I’m looking at the big picture here, and that is get him in the door. God will do the rest. If my comments about the clothes he chose to put on prevented or deterred him in any way from coming to Mass, then I’m afraid I would have some explaining to do when I stand before the Lord. Who am I to stand in this man’s judgment when it is obvious the Lord is working in him already.
And in the words of Forest Gump…that’s all I got to say about that.
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PeteZaHut
Guest
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.
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