Don't want to wear a cross or medal because

[westcoast]

Does anyone else find themselves not wanting to wear a cross, blessed medal or scapular because you may slip up in public and be unChristian-like, and then be a bad example of a Christian? I’m working on stuff like patience and my temper, and don’t feel like I should be wearing anything that shows me as a Christian because sometimes I sure don’t act like one!

 

[holly_potter]

I wear it to remind me to live in a Christian manner…
And…everybody sins. If only perfect people wore a cross/crucifix/medal, then nobody’d be wearing them…

 

[catholicrocks]

I struggle with this thought too. Actually, though, I remind myself to look at it from the other side. For example, I have Catholic decals on my window and a bunch of medals on my rearview mirror; for a while, I had a bunch, enough that my friends called my car “The Jesus Wagon.” Anyway, I use them to help me with my temper b/c you know how bad the temptation is when you are driving! It’s really hard to curse at someone when you are looking at the image of The Divine Mercy in your rearview mirror.

It’s good to remember that these things are given to us as tools to help us. Yes, I do feel bad when I’m wearing a medal or something and I say or do something unkind, or a curse word slips out of my mouth, but, you better believe it makes me more conscious of it and that helps me to avoid it the next time.

Also, re: “don’t feel like I should be wearing anything that shows me as a Christian because sometimes I sure don’t act like one!” None of us would ever get to wear a medal or scapular or anything of the sort if it worked this way b/c we ALL slip up and sin and don’t always act like Christians.

Use these things to help you!

 

[CarrieH]

Does anyone else find themselves not wanting to wear a cross, blessed medal or scapular because you may slip up in public and be unChristian-like, and then be a bad example of a Christian? I’m working on stuff like patience and my temper, and don’t feel like I should be wearing anything that shows me as a Christian because sometimes I sure don’t act like one!

I always wear a cross or crucifix, but I avoid putting religious bumper stickers on my car. I’m more likely to behave in a less- than-Christian manner when I’m behind the wheel in traffic than when I’m out of the car and meeting people face-to-face.

 

[water]

but I avoid putting religious bumper stickers on my car. I’m more likely to behave in a less- than-Christian manner when I’m behind the wheel in traffic than when I’m out of the car and meeting people face-to-face.

It actually helps me drive carefully.
You can try it, it will work.

 

[Hellisreal]

Does anyone else find themselves not wanting to wear a cross, blessed medal or scapular because you may slip up in public and be unChristian-like, and then be a bad example of a Christian? I’m working on stuff like patience and my temper, and don’t feel like I should be wearing anything that shows me as a Christian because sometimes I sure don’t act like one!

I get mad when people with Rosaries on their rear view mirror cut me off on the road!

So, I dont know.

If you slip up, and you are able to quickly say: Lord, I am sorry I lost my temper forgive me also- if you hurt someone else, obviously ask forgiveness of them as well.

Maybe the person who does see you do that, will have a huge interest in becoming on fire for Christianity!

We all make mistakes, its all in how you handle them that counts.

 

[johnstown_johnn]

Does anyone else find themselves not wanting to wear a cross, blessed medal or scapular because you may slip up in public and be unChristian-like, and then be a bad example of a Christian? I’m working on stuff like patience and my temper, and don’t feel like I should be wearing anything that shows me as a Christian because sometimes I sure don’t act like one!

Blessed crucifixes, Miraculous Medals and scapulars are what is called, “sacramentals.” They are first and foremost worn as a kind of “spiritual armor” and keep our thoghts with God and Heaven. They ward off temptation.

Wearing them as “ornamentation” is not beneficial to one’s soul. We often see rock celebrities wearing “crosses” while engaged in outrageous public sordid behavior. There is a difference.

 

[sanctamaria17]

I find that it enables me to be a better witness to others, b/c people ask questions. Some of my friends wear medals or crucifixes and I’ll ask questions about the particular saint or image of Our Lady they have.

In fact, at an interdenominational Christian group I joined, I noticed one of the guys had a crucifix. Now, I don’t know a lot of Protestants who wear crucifixes so I thought he may be Catholic. Turns out I was right (and I got hi-fived for also being Catholic)

I have to say, when so many college kids lose their faith, it’s refreshing to see people (especially guys) who are so into theirs.

 

[johnstown_johnn]

It is rare a Protestant wear a Crucifix. They harp on Catholics that wear them as a “graven image.” Funny, even their (Protestant) :father" Martin Luther wore a crucifix.

 

[Hellisreal]

It is rare a Protestant wear a Crucifix. They harp on Catholics that wear them as a “graven image.” Funny, even their (Protestant) :father" Martin Luther wore a crucifix.

Its simple. Either they deny the Incarnation or they dont.

If they dont deny the Incarnation, it CAN NOT BE a “graven image”



Luther knew this.

It was Calvin, who twisted everything.

 

[baltobetsy]

When I was in college, many years ago, if you knew my secret code, you could tell the state of my soul by the necklace I wore. When I was in a state of grace, I wore my crucifix. If I fell into serious sin, I put on a necklace that had an apple hanging from a branch, which reminded me of the sin of Adam and Eve. After Confession, I put the crucifix back on. Nobody knew my secret code.

Betsy

 

[Hellisreal]

When I was in college, many years ago, if you knew my secret code, you could tell the state of my soul by the necklace I wore. When I was in a state of grace, I wore my crucifix. If I fell into serious sin, I put on a necklace that had an apple hanging from a branch, which reminded me of the sin of Adam and Eve. After Confession, I put the crucifix back on. Nobody knew my secret code.

Betsy

We do now.

checking all necklaces from now on

 

[RenaissanceMare]

Personally I make a point to always wear a cross, usually it’s either my silver cross ring and/or my cross and a medal or two. I like the constant reminder of myself to be a good Christian, and I like showing that I am a Christian as a way of reaching out to people. For me, knowing nice Christians was what helped me come back to the Faith, so I can only hope to do the same for others and maybe by opening showing I’m a Christian by wearing a cross I can battle some of the negative sterotypes.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

by wearing a cross I can battle some of the negative sterotypes.

Good point!

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Does anyone else find themselves not wanting to wear a cross, blessed medal or scapular because you may slip up in public and be unChristian-like, and then be a bad example of a Christian? I’m working on stuff like patience and my temper, and don’t feel like I should be wearing anything that shows me as a Christian because sometimes I sure don’t act like one!

Wearing such things should be done out of love and devotion, not as an advertisement of who we are. If we understand the gospel of Jesus Christ, we wouldn’t fear how we look to others, when we do slip up, and this is from a man who slips up all the time.

Personally, I wear a scapular under my clothing where the only one’s who know I’m wearing it, is myself, Jesus and Mary.

Jim

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I wonder if there is anything adverse in wearing a cross to indeed advertise who we are. To state that Christ and Christianity are present. If priests and nuns can identify themselves by wearing the habit or nowadays more likely to be a cross on secular clothing, then I am sure lay people can also. The wearing of some religious symbol can be a witness. All is in the motivation I think; however one would need to strive to bring nothing adverse to the name of Christ and Christianity by wearing such and if one feels one cannot refrain from adverse and negative behaviour likely to draw disfavour, then perhaps not to wear one.
“He who proclaims me before men, I will proclaim him before My Father who is in Heaven”.
God’s Blessings and His Peace…Barb

 

[leonie]

Sometimes I feel that way at Mass when I wear a headcovering.

I think it’s just vanity, though.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Sometimes I feel that way at Mass when I wear a headcovering.

I think it’s just vanity, though.

Hi Leonie…forgive me, I am unsure of your meaning. You say I feel “that way”, may I ask what way? As to motivation (and I hope you are not being overly harsh with yourself and suspecting vanity as sole motivation), I think very often we can identify our motives as perhaps a mixture of postive and negative motives - the good and the not so good. Life, I think, in many ways is continually the battle on some level somewhere and the seeking of balance on some level or other. I know that with myself that if I held back awaiting purity of intention and motivation, I wouln’t move at all. .As St. Paul says we “fight the good fight and run the good race” forever dependant on God and His Grace and Mercy.
Personally, I very much like the wearing of chapel veils, however I dont do so myself as no one else in my parish does (and my parish can be very unforgiving) and this is bowing to the opinion of others and allowing the opinions of others to define an aspect of my life.

God’s Blessings to you and yours and His Peace…Barb

 

[johnstown_johnn]

I wonder if there is anything adverse in wearing a cross to indeed advertise who we are. To state that Christ and Christianity are present. If priests and nuns can identify themselves by wearing the habit or nowadays more likely to be a cross on secular clothing, then I am sure lay people can also. The wearing of some religious symbol can be a witness. All is in the motivation I think; however one would need to strive to bring nothing adverse to the name of Christ and Christianity by wearing such and if one feels one cannot refrain from adverse and negative behaviour likely to draw disfavour, then perhaps not to wear one.
“He who proclaims me before men, I will proclaim him before My Father who is in Heaven”.
God’s Blessings and His Peace…Barb

God bless. To outwardly wear a cross or some other Christian symbol is a good thing. It (wearing) does hold up your l;ife as a Christian.

What is troubling is that in America there is an undercurrent to dissuade wearing a Cross by various entities.

Schoolteachers have been threatened by lawsuit or firing if they wear a cross. Even airlines are having policy against wearing them.

America is dissolving into a secular country and it won’t be long until it (America) falls by its separation from God.

Makes you wonder if we are drawing closer to His Return.

 

[Starfish]

I do wish that you folks that have stuff hanging from your rear view mirror that you would PLEASE remove ALL of it. It is against the law to have ANYTHING hanging from the mirror. It does get in the way of your driving. The only thing I will have on my rear view mirror is my handicapped placard and that is ONLY when I am parked. When I get in to leave, it is taken off the mirror and put away.