Modesty in Church
What you wear says something about what you believe.
The following piece was written for Catholic Answers.
Today is National Beach Day, at which time corporate America will likely fill most of our social media feeds with pictures of scantily clad beachgoers. What we wear on beaches has gradually become more revealing as the decades have gone by, with plenty of female attire now being less concealing than the underwear worn below their regular clothing.
It’s tragic, because the people who dress in such a way to attract the attention of the opposite sex do so while effacing their own dignity. To dress modestly is, in the words of Josef Pieper, a habit of “selfless self-preservation,” which is a demonstration of self-respect that is rightly grounded on the appreciation of one’s body as the temple of the Holy Spirit.
The modern age tends to regard modesty as something of an antiquated notion, as if it were an ancient custom specifically commanding the dress codes of women for the benefit of men. That’s horribly reversed. Modest attire is for the benefit of the person who wears it. It denotes a person’s value, asserts her dignity as something worthy of protection, and prevents her reduction into a display piece for the benefit of strangers.
Continue reading the whole article at Catholic Answers. This article was written for a Catholic audience, but other Christians may find it interesting too. Catholic Answers doesn’t accept comments, but I always welcome them below.
Sarah, this is a difficult topic for discussion because it puts people on the defensive before the first sentence about modesty is even uttered. You did a great job putting it all in proper context. I and my family wear our "Sunday best" to church each Sunday because it is part of our worship of God. We are not showing off or trying to look good for other attendees. We want God to know that we love, honor, and respect Him. He gave us this earth and our very lives. The least we can do is dress appropriately as we worship Him. Secondly, your words concerning bathing suits and other day-to-day apparel is right on the mark. I love to see beautiful women who dress modestly. There is an air of mystery associated with clean and modest clothing. Otherwise, they are just advertising themselves, as you pointed out. There is so much in our modern lives that is vulgar and animalistic. When I grew up in the 70s and 80s, you would almost never see young women with tattoos, piercings, and/or weird hairdos with hair dyed in unnatural colors. What in the world happened to us? So sad.
Thank you Sarah, for expressing your thoughts on this topic. As with all your posts, it is well thought out and written so very well. Often at Mass I am amazed at how some people are dressed as they approach the altar to receive Holy Communion. Not only are many of the young women dressed immodestly but many men are wearing shorts or cut-off jeans and t-shirts as you so correctly pointed out. It is so irreverent and sadly these people don't seem to care how they look. I for one appreciate the women who wear veils as a sign of respect and reverence for the Holy Eucharist and the intention of the Mass.