followed immediately by the story of the Prodigal .... where the lost son comes home in rags covered in pig slop .. and the father runs to embrace him and kiss him
Just sayin' ...
A person can worship in all manner of dress from naked to evening apparel. Just relax and learn to do the Christian thing.
At least they show up.
A father with two kids shows up late for Mass? I think he deserves credit for bringing them. Without the mother to help, it’s not the easiest thing to get two kids anywhere in time.
If he didn’t take a pew right away, it’s probably because he didn’t want too disturb people during the second reading, prior to the Gospel. Then he moved to a pew while everyone was standing up and it would be less distracting.
The real problem is that a LOT of Catholics have dropped out of going to church, or raising their kids to go to church. The turmoil and dissent in the Church over the past several decades has been horribly destructive.
Let us pray that more people come back, and that the bishops and pastors manage to pull up their socks and educate and inspire them properly as Catholics.
This past Easter at my Catholic Mass, a young 20 something woman came in wearing a very thin , bright yellow dress-sorta of the material of blouse...so thin you could see her white thong underneath crystal clear..yes, that is all she wore underneath and yes, people where looking....
Yesterday I worked the audio for all Masses at my parish. I did notice that the cloting became more casual through the day. 8am - suits/dresses, etc. 10am - shirt & tie/dresses/slacks. Noon - fewer ties, more short sleeves, shorts, etc. 5pm - lots of shorts, jeans, sleeveless.
But ya know what? They’re there. They showed up for Mass. Try not to get so caught up in what others are doing. Be there for Christ. Be there for your soul. Be the best example you can be. Others will do what they want regardless.
a. Was this all the guy had? If so, it is fine.
b. Most of us have something a bit nicer and I do think that when in church you should dress up. Tux is overboard.
I notice it. My grandparents raised me to wear “Sunday best.” Jeans were for Wed. night teen group only.
I do not want to see my pastor in jeans and sandals. Unfortunately, I see a lot of it these days. Too many churches are seeker-sensitive. They promote the “God doesn’t care what you wear as long as you show up!” mantra. Then they proceed to tickle ears with “Jesus loves you!” sermons.
That’s all fine for visitors and new believers, but The Church has an obligation to preach the Truth, which is far more shocking than “Jesus loves you!”
I don’t allow my kids to wear anything but “Sunday best” to church.
Perhaps it was his first visit to a liturgical church...
... Or any church....
And while you were checking him out and racking up complaints about his decorum and dress......
...Perhaps he was looking for God in his own way...
Most pastors would be overjoyed that this man and his kids were there at all...
...And trusting God to minister to them in spite of their (apparent) lack of understanding of how it all fits together...
Food for thought..
Yes, I dress for church and am a little early so that I can look over the bulletin, note the sermon topic and the Scripture reading. Then, I spend time in prayer asking that my heart, and those around me, be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
We dress for those we respect. It depends on whether we respect God as much as we do our boss, our mayor, a Congressman or President. Many people think more of their comfort and convenience than they do of God or the sensibilities of those gathered in His name.
How can I filter out crap posts like this?
So allow me to ask a retorical question.
Would you rather the person who is un-churched, attend but perhaps not understand or observe all the traditions of man, -or- would you rather the un-churched come and listen and perhaps be changed forever?
I would caution you that moving the pearly gates out of heaven and into the front of the church will keep a LOT of sinners away.
I tell ya, one of the reasons I do not go to church is because it’s full of people who are utterly incapable of minding their own business.
Our family has to get to church at least a half hour early to sit on the front row. People wear all different kinds of clothing... It’s not about us. It’s about Jesus.
Wonder if those who sat at the feet of Jesus to hear his teachings were always well dressed.
Praise the Lord the kids were inside the walls of your church!
Yes the entire citizenry of America has “dressed-down”, it has alot to do with the occupants of the White House, remember when the Reagans were in office-we used china and crystal, NOW we use red solo cups and paper plates!
We need someone with class in the White House. AND someone that attends a church!
Evidence of our evolution into a class-less society. What you get when dumb-down and drug-down, but oh, how cool we are.
We have a family that shows up exactly 15 minutes late every Sunday, but they show up every Sunday. We have teenage girls in the congregation that dress like they go straight to a street corner after church (or they are just coming in from a busy Saturday night). We have a few people that show up in shorts and t-shirts.
The human that I am is appalled and disgusted at their lack of respect. But the Holy Spirit reminds me that God puts us in this world naked and bloody and he usually takes us out the same way. So, I try not to worry too much about their clothing in church.
We have a couple with a toddler and a newborn starting to attend our church regularly. They were rescued by our pastor (and a brother in Christ from a different church), from a homeless encampment locally called the “jungle”. Just this week a homeless man was stabbed in the neck and stomach and robbed while sleeping in his tent in the “jungle”. Should I ask them to leave, since last week the father had on old holy jeans? Their toddler runs all over the church expressing “Joie de vivre”. Should we send him back to running around amongst the trash, hundreds of propane cylinders, beer cans & bottles, needles, and unsavory characters? Should we reject the mother and her newborn baby because doesn't have proper “church” clothes?
Maybe she should have had the baby in the squalor of the “jungle”, where she belongs, until she could meet the church dress code.
The lyrics of a Casting Crowns song comes to mind....
It's crowded in a worship today
As she slips in
Trying to fade into the faces
The girls’ teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way? There is a way?
A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat
And quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances tell him that his chances
Are better out on the road
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way?
But Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way?
If we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them
There is a way? As Jesus is the way