This is getting silly. Nobody here has advocated bopping anyone over the head because they aren’t dressed “just so” for Mass.
This really is one of those traditionalist/non-traditionalist divides. Traditionally, Catholicism has been culturally transforming, it has brought grace and civility to low cultures. And all high cultures (not just Catholic ones) and even a lot of low ones acknowledge that one dresses up for important events. But now there is a large segment of Catholics who are pretty much fine just aping our secular and increasingly low culture, rather than looking to our venerable Catholic heritage to inform our attitudes even to such things as clothing and manners.
There have been some here who are consistent, in that they don’t dress up for anything. I consider that a special case, to be dealt with separately, but it has the real advantage of consistency. What I still cannot quite get my head around are those who **would **dress up for other important events, like a job interview or a date, but will not dress up for Sunday Mass (or at the very least don’t think it really matters.) If someone can explain the logic behind that, I’d appreciate it.
Well said! The truth is lots of people here just don’t want to bother showing up in anything other than ‘comfortable clothes’ in other words their casual wear, or whatever they have on… and seek to say that anyone who says this is a bad way to approach God in the mass is judgmental, etc. when in fact we are informed by tradition on this matter… and by the virtue of modesty…
Both very lacking in society today. But then these ridiculous statements to the contrary, nitpicking, loopholing rather than looking at the spirit of the matter – That if you care about God, you care enough to dress well for Him.
The idea that ‘God doesn’t care’ it’s ‘all on the inside’, and the blame the people who are trying to tell you that He does and casting them in a bad light is all a red herring, and off base.
Fundamental it is this: If you care about God, you care about how you dress for Him. You understand that in Holy Scripture and in Holy Tradition, He cares about how you present yourself before Him.
So you should take care to do so properly.
And it can be a pleasure to do so too if you do it.
‘Anyone who has the habit of speaking before God’s majesty as if he were speaking to a slave, careless about how he is speaking, and saying whatever comes into his head and whatever he’s learned from saying prayers at other times, in my opinion is not praying. Please, God, may no Christian pray in this way.’
St. Teresa of Jesus
“Dress thus or risk being smited.” Great recruiting line.
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