What To Wear

Recently at Mass (local, Ordinary Rite, parish) I noticed a guy walk in wearing a Catholic t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops walk in and sit down, nearly front and center in the sanctuary. Others were wearing everything from quite casual to a few wearing full suits. 

If you were invited to dine with the President of the United States...

If you were invited to dine with the Pope...

If you were invited to dine with God Almighty...

What would you wear? 

Would you "come as you are," or would you prepare and wear your "Sunday best?" I think most of us would get dressed up nicely for any of these options - and would not show up in flip-flops.

In the third option, we have that invitation at EVERY Mass we participate in! EVERY time you go to Mass you KNOW - or at least SHOULD know that you are going before the REAL PRESENCE of God Almighty. I know, I've heard the excuses "God accepts me for who I am, not what I wear to Mass," but the point is there is a modicum of respect expected when approaching any world leader and should be even more true for the Leader and Creator of the universe! When we do not take the time to clean up or change into something a bit more dignified - or even deliberately wear such casual clothes it is just plain disrespectful.

The problem is that many have lost that level of respect for God, especially in His House - our place of worship. If He is worthy of our worship, He is worthy of our respect too. 

In the image below, from Real Men, Real Style, the encircled attire is most appropriate - and even "Casual" can suffice, but not "Ultra Casual" or "Sloppy." On the other end of the scale, while those would not be inappropriate, "White Tie" or "Black Tie" would not be required (and really not much difference between "Black Tie Optional" and "Semi-Formal or Business").

What Happened to Our Sunday Best?

It wasn't that long ago that when you were going to somewhere special you made sure you dressed in your "Sunday best" so as to not be an embarrassment to yourself or your family. For women, they wore dresses (below the knee) and covered their heads, even in Protestant churches - women typically wore a nice hat.  Men would wear a suit and tie. What does "your Sunday best
mean today?  Often at Mass one will see people in t-shirts, sports jerseys, jeans or shorts and women, if they wear a dress at all (as opposed to pants) it is often a short skirt. In traditional chapels (of the Extraordinary Rite) the dress tends to be more conservative, but even there most men are not wearing suits (though many are).

What's the point here?  If you were called to dine at the White House, would you show up in a t-shirt, shorts and tennis shoes?  I think not!  In fact, you likely would not even be allowed to enter if not in proper attire for the dinner. When we attend Mass we are in the presence - the Real Presence - of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - the King of Kings! Should we not be appropriately dressed to be in His Presence?  Some may grumble at this and think me a "fuddy-dutty" but I am reminded of one of Jesus' parables of the Wedding Feast,

and the one who showed up without a wedding garment (Matthew 22:1-14), that man was bound and thrown out into the darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Those same grumblers will then be saying, "you're not to take that passage so literally!" But should we not exemplify the importance of being properly attired when we are at the Eucharistic Feast?  Are we being respectful of our Lord when we show up in purely casual dress?  

What are your thoughts?