Romans 12 1-3 tells us "I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. For by the grace given to me I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than one ought to think, but to think soberly, each according to the measure of faith that God has apportioned." The issue of modesty in dress for people attending Mass came up recently. It is funny that most of the time it focuses on how women dress rather the lack of respect some men show in their attire. I am of the mind that God really doesn't care what you wear to Mass as long as you are there. I would hate to think that someone isn't attending Mass because they think they don't have something nice to wear. Actually, this mindset is not the one that was being discussed. It is the lack of clothing that created the discussion. It seems that as the seasons change and the temperature rises, many folks seem to wear less clothing. Now this makes sense on a beach or at the pool but what about Mass. Going to church is about joining a community of worshipers coming together to praise our Lord. It is about being inspired by His word. It is about receiving His body and blood to be nourished spiritually. But is also involves what St. Paul talks about in Romans. It requires a sense of modesty. We are a temple for the Holy Spirit. We are earthen vessels for the Lord. Our bodies should be put to work for the Lord. When we are doing the Lord's bidding, the focus should be on the works and not on ourselves. Dressing immodestly brings undue focus to us. It forces others to be distracted and that is not helpful for our spiritual growth. St. Paul's words force me to grow in my thinking on this topic. How am I to dress to be most pleasing to God? How should I dress to worship spiritually? Am I conforming myself to the world and the dictates of created things? Discerning the will of God is best done in humility and modesty. This includes the way we dress. So we should go to Mass often and we should not be overly concerned about how we dress except that we should be modest and represent the temple of the Holy Spirit. It allows our fellow participants to focus on enhancing their relationship with God rather than noticing what our clothing is saying about us.
Born during the turbulent era of the French Revolution, Saint Jeanne Jugan rose above hardship and a lack of formal schooling to become a profound vessel of Christ’s mercy. After losing her father at a young age and working through her youth as a kitchen maid and nurse, her life radically changed one freezing night when she encountered a blind, paralyzed elderly woman with nowhere to go. Jeanne carried the woman back to her own home, placed her in her own bed, and began a lifelong mission of radical hospitality. This act of profound love blossomed into the Little Sisters of the Poor , a thriving community dedicated to sheltering and honoring the destitute elderly. Despite later facing heavy trials—including being unjustly sidelined and stripped of her leadership by a controlling chaplain—Jeanne accepted her obscurity and exile with a joyful spirit, resting her complete trust in God's hidden providence until her death in 1879. In our daily lives, Saint Jeanne Jugan invites us to lo...
Comments
Post a Comment