What are You wearing....

Recently, I have read several blogger posts, magazine articles, newspaper columns, and Internet searches on the subject of what people are wearing for clothes these days. Several topics I have read are about what is appropriate to wear to church, what is appropriate to wear to work and what to wear on a date or to dinner in a fancy restaurant.

I have an opinion on this topic, especially when it relates to what to wear to church. As I have stated in previous posts, I am a former Protestant who became a Roman Catholic. It was a very personal choice for me and I spent 9 months of Catholic education classes learning about the faith. I appreciate education of any sort and I have to say that if a Protestant church had given me the opportunity of concentrating on what their particular faith was about, I might have remained a Protestant and chosen a different path within the sect. Unfortunately, I searched for months and visited in many faiths, asked many questions of their various leadership, prayed for guidance and did not find the answers that I now have. Ultimately, I believe it was Jesus, my Savior, who was guiding my heart and mind to choose Catholicism and find the Peace I now have.

Oops, back to topic, "What are you wearing to church?"my Mother used to ask me (can't you just hear your own Mom asking something similar in the back of your mind?) when I was younger, back when we went to church that is... If I wasn't wearing a tuck-in-your-pants dress shirt (either short or long sleeved), and a tie, dress slacks with a leather belt, loafers or tie up Florsheim shoes with dark socks and sometimes a jacket or the full on suit on Easter or Christmas...my Mom would first of all holler at me and then proceed to shame me into changing in my "Church Clothes" or Jesus was going to get me for it. In the end, I never went to church unless I dressed up. When I became a teenager and young adult I was consumed with Ralph Lauren Polo, IZOD, Aigner leather belts, ties from Brooks Brothers, French cuff Dress Shirts, and Perry Ellis Dress Slacks. I was very well dressed and attempted to out GQ anyone I thought was looking better than I was. In all those years, during probably all that time, I gave little or no thought to Jesus, either in church or out, because church for me was all about what everyone was wearing, their "Sunday Best" as the term relates. I remember those days, being uncomfortable. Heck, I'm still uncomfortable dressing up...not that I can't out-dress anyone today. Heck, day-to-day I'm dressed better in Jeans and a T-shirt than most people wearing Armani. Why, do you ask? Well, its because of the respect I have for myself. That's right, I have a tremendous respect for myself. This has been a long long road for me and wasn't always so. Today, if I chose to wear a G-string and Tank Tee (formerly inappropriately known as a wife-beater) I would still be respecting myself and you know what...I would expect that same respect from anyone else for wearing it no matter the occasion. Call it a wisdom I have with age, but I have learned that "Clothes Don't Make the Man" its the man alone that matters...

Although, some have written or spoken that certain attire shows disrespect for God, I cannot believe that ultimately, in my heart, God, Jesus, really cares what I am wearing in his presence. I find no dress-code in the Catechism (perhaps I have missed it). I am sure there are passages in the Bible that can be interpreted as a dress code and I respect some one's right to the interpretation, but its just that...an interpretation...If it were spelled out, perhaps I would believe differently. "Where two or more are gathered, I will be there"...is there some hidden meaning that if you're not in a dress shirt and slacks of a poly-cotton blend, God will not be listening to me or allowing me to worship him for all his majesty? I've got some late -breaking news...God is everywhere folks, in everything, all knowing, all seeing. Now, should that not mean that I should be in a necktie, silk underwear and dress pants to mow the lawn, buy some groceries or lay sick in a hospital bed? Is it the building called a church that should compel me to dress up in the eye's of God? Does the Monstrance, the altar, the pulpit, the stained glass windows...require me to dress in a shirt, tie, slacks, and uncomfortable shoes. Is the hot Rayon-Polyester fabric that makes my nether regions sweat, supposed to represent my penance for Sin? Should I be refused communion because my leg hair is exposed? Again, I come back to...Does God really care? I spent my early adult life looking down on people simply because of what they were wearing. If their clothes, weren't good enough for my standards, why on earth would I want to associate, much less even speak to them. They were too poor, or their taste in dress fabric was atrocious. My gosh, did you see the shoes they had on their feet. How shallow was I? How did I ever become the person I am today? I had a turning point on this issue, I just don't remember now where or when? As I said, it is the respect I have for myself...the respect I now have for other's...the respect I have for Jesus Christ, God, my Savior, that compels me. What I wear to worship on a Sunday, Holy Day, or any day is not important. What is is that I am thankful to just be alive, to love God and my fellow man. To spread his word and teach those things that are important in regard to saving one's soul. It doesn't make me any better or any worse than someone else just because of the clothes I choose to cover my body and my God, unless he tells me different, doesn't care either...