Life’s changes over the years.
Posted: January 12th, 2009 | Author: Don | Filed under: Politics, Religion, Wonder | Tags: church, clothing, comfort, friar, monk, Pastor, Priest, religious life, Self Centered | 1 Comment »When air travel happened in the earlier years, everyone dressed up for the event. Granted, most flights were business based, and when the person go to the other side, they went to meetings, etc. Today, I see people get on planes in pajamas and furry slippers. Again, flying has gotten to be a standard mode of transportation. BUT, one should take pride in themselves and dress appropriately. I agree that a coat and tie may not be needed anymore, but SOME decorum should be used!
Then we get to Church services. Again, not too many years ago everyone went to Church in their “Sunday Best”, dressing up for God and for themselves. Today I see people come to Church in shorts, “muscle shirts”, and flip flops. What happened to decorum there too? Yes, just being in Church is important, but come on folks!! Show respect to yourself, others, and the Pastor/minister on the podium.
Speaking of Pastors, use to be, in the Catholic faith, and a few others, you could tell who was a Minister/Priest/etc, by their clothing. In most cases not so anymore. Many Catholic Priest now wear “civilian” cloths. I asked one Priest why that was so, and his response was “so I can take a break”. Um, religious life is not something one should be taking a break from is it? Another Priest answered the same question by saying, “More people come to me and talk when I’m not in my collar, about religion or anything.” This is a better answer, but it still doesn’t work for me. A person in religious life should be in the clothing of that life. This goes for Monks (most monks are still in habit, but I hear many are “coming out of habit” there too), Friars (a person in religious life, who lives and works “in the world”, but in community as well), and Nuns. MANY, MANY of these religious life folks have come out of habit. I was told by one Nun that there was no need for the clothing. Now mind you, those Religious Orders that have stayed in habit are growing, and those Orders which have come out of habit are tending to grow smaller and smaller each year. When you go into Religious Life, you give a vow of poverty. How are you going to own all these cloths, jewelery, etc that I see these “new” Nuns, Brothers, and Priest wearing? What happened to that vow? Go back to habit ladies and gentlemen, let us know who you are. (You can go to Mass now a days and not even know you are sitting by a Religious Brother or Sister. Not appropriate to my eyes.)
I think these clothing and presentation changes have happened because the world has quickly become a “me” world. Everyone is centered on themselves, and forgetting the world. This has SOME good qualities to it, but while centering yourself on yourself, you should also consider those around you, live, dress and act appropriately. Wearing pajamas on an airplane just doesn’t seem to cut it in that regard, nor does wearing shorts and flip flops to Church.
And when you go into religious life, you are supposed to be centering yourself on God, Love and others, not on yourself. Comfort is one of the things you may be asked to give up in your vows, and worldly possessions such as cloths IS one of the things you are supposed to be giving up!
I pray daily that the World looks at where we are going and begins making some changes for the better.
