catholicsphere

My wife and I were talking the other day about how people dress when going to church. Now, before any conclusions are drawn about the probability of this being another judgemental, self-righteous, and/or holier than thou rant, let me just say that, while my wife usually makes it a point to put on “the Sunday dress” and we also take care that our children are dressed similarly, I am usually a “jeans and a polo” kinda guy.

She told me of a recent Focus on the Family when Dr. Dobson spoke about the recent trends in “church dress”. A glance around your church on a Sunday morning might make some “old timers” wonder what ever happened to putting on “your Sunday best”. I found the commentary that my wife shared to be interesting, and it certainly made me think about how the way I dress reflects the importance that I put on the Mass.  I’ll paraphrase …

How do you approach church (the Mass)?  How do you approach the Lord’s Supper (the Eucharist)?  Is it important to you?   Do you approach with your best; looking your best?

Or, do you say, “God doesn’t care how I’m dressed.  He just cares that I’m there.”  And, that may be true enough that “He just cares that you’re there” … but what does how you dress say to Him?

Compare how you approach Mass to some special occasion.  Work.  An evening out to dinner or the theatre.  The prom or homecoming.  Do you take special care to look your best?

How would you dress if you were invited to dinner with the President of the United States, or a dignitary or perhaps a king?  More than likely you would dress your best.

If that is the case, why go to the Lord’s Supper in anything less than your best?  You are, after all, meeting with the King of kings, the Lord of lords, and the Savior …

It certainly made me think.

[tags]Mass, Sunday best, dress, Jesus, Eucharist, Mass, church[/tags]