Concerning Proper Attire for Mass

T-shirts and shorts, low-cut tops, miniskirts, and other skimpy items of clothing are common attire for some Massgoers - even on Sundays. This refusal to dress appropriately during Mass reflects a fundamental and dangerous disrespect for God.

Wearing proper clothes during Mass should not be an option: it is an essential duty for Christians.

God does not need us to dress properly for His sake. God, of course, has no need for human praise. He is immortal, and infinitely higher than us by His very nature. No action of ours can harm or defame Him.    

Rather, proper attire during Mass is for our benefit. Proper attire reminds us that at Mass, we are in the presence of the divine, and that we must act accordingly.

During Mass, we are present at the Holy Sacrifice of Calvary, represented before us. We are placed at the point when God comes down from heaven and gives His Body and Blood to us in the form of bread and wine. 

Should we not show our Lord the courtesy of dressing up honorably during this great miracle?

If we were to see the Pope or the President dressed in low-cut tops or ratty T-shirts, we would exhibit horrible disrespect for them. The dignity of their office requires a dress code suitable to the occasion of meeting them. How much more true is this for our Creator, who keeps us in existence!

The parable of the guest who did not wear a wedding garment at the wedding of the king's daughter (Matt 22:11-14) gives a stark warning of the consequences of improper dress during Mass. The ill-attired wedding guest was cast out into the darkness for his refusal to honor the king by dressing properly. If an earthly king punished a subject so harshly for disrespecting him and his beloved daughter, what will our heavenly King do for disrespecting Him at His sacrifice?

Should we not give our King and Master our full attention and honor, in every respect? Should we not dress as we were at the feast of the Lamb of God on earth at Mass? For indeed, we are!