The Wedding Garment

I recently responded to a posting from someone on Facebook advertising Christian t shirts. The poster was advocating these t shirts as the perfect garment for Sunday worship. My comment was simply, "It seems God deserves better than a t shirt." This comment elicited a few nasty statements. People accused me of being judgmental, and of having a log in my eye. It was lamented that God doesn't care what we wear to Mass. “He is just happy we show up.”

Oh really? Well, then explain the parable from a recent Sunday Gospel reading about the wedding garment (Matthew 22:1-14). This parable would indicate to me that God certainly does care what we wear to Mass. The Mass is the great wedding feast after all. Jesus is the Bridegroom, and guess who we are? That's right, we are His bride, the Church. To claim God doesn't care or isn't concerned about something regarding our lives and behaviors I find quite troubling. I am amazed by the sheer ignorance of those of us who like to claim Catholicism as our own, while at the same time minimizing the awesomeness of God and the Mass. God cares about everything! He counts the hairs on our heads! So, to claim that God doesn't care about how we dress for Mass, is simply wrong, and borders on blasphemy, because He cares about every single intimate and minute detail of our being, and that does include our dress.

Now, lets take a superficial look at this reading and how people dress for Mass. In our society there are standard dress codes for most events, and establishments. Most people acknowledge this and abide by it, except when it comes to Church. Because for some reason we seem to think God has pretty low expectations for us, and all he really cares about is us "showing up". Well, then explain to me why the man without the proper dress in the Wedding Garment parable is cast out, and not just asked to leave, but bound, thrown out into the darkness where there is wailing and grinding of teeth? That's a euphemism for Hell, by the way. It would seem the Master of this House and Banquet was indeed concerned and offended, greatly - by this man's lack of proper dress and disregard for proper dress code. It got this guy pretty severe punishment, didn't it?

So, let's take a deeper dive. I don't necessarily think that the outward appearance is the main concern of this story, but that this outer appearance reflects the inner heart and degree of love and respect we have for Our Lord. After all, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the greatest event taking place on this Earth. The ignorance of those not recognizing this is highlighted. Would we not dress up if we were invited to a state banquet at the White House? Do we not expect to be reprimanded if we fail to show up properly dressed for work? What about a job interview? Do we expect to get a job if we show up in shorts and a hoodie for a professional job interview? Would we wear torn blue jans to meet the Pope or Queen of England? Recently, the Congress voted on a resolution to formalize a dress code for the Senate - because they understand that a certain respect is owed this office. So, if a bunch of politicians can recognize this, why can't those of us who claim to respect and love the Lord recognize the respect owed to our Lord when attending the greatest event ever consummated on the planet? Why do we bother to show so much respect for the worldly but not the Creator of the world, and everything else in the universe? It boggles the mind really.

Nobody is expecting formal dress at Mass, just appropriate dress to show respect and reverence to God. Short shorts, mini skirts, spaghetti straps, ripped jeans, and dirty clothes are not appropriate. Any lack of modesty is not appropriate. We can present ourselves in more casual attire that is at the same time appropriate and respectful. Of course, there are always exceptions for those coming straight from work or from other various events or outings, but these should be the exception not the norm, and for many this is the norm.

If we are really honest with ourselves we would realize that the way we appear on the outside ultimately reflects what is present on the inside. Are we presenting ourselves to please God, our ourselves, or others? Would we show up on our wedding day in dirty, inappropriate clothing? Because every Mass, in reality, is our wedding day to Christ, the Bridegroom. So the man at the wedding feast wasn't cast out into the darkness because of his dress, but because of his pride, disregard, disrespect, irreverence, and ultimately disobedience to the Master of the House and the Feast. Yes, all were invited, but this man, when coming and presenting himself inappropriately, was thrown out. The Master of the House dictates the dress code and our hearts beckon the response to that dress code. The outward dress was just a simple symptom of a hardened heart - a heart not desirous of God.

It will be the same for us.