Ciciliamma Perumpanani
Is it not the bounden duty of every faithful to keep up the sanctity and dignity of the church? Is it not the most revered place where one finds himself in the presence of the Lord?
When we are expected to genuflect, make the Sign of the Cross, kneel in front of the Eternal Luminence, I call it unethical not to ‘dress for the occasion’. There were times when people believed that they should be attired in their ‘Sunday best’ when they went to Holy Mass. Their apparel was not out of tune with modesty. Clothes can accentuate one’s good looks, no doubt, but one should show better taste to have adequate clothes on.
The other day standing in line for the Communion a teenager who would put any cabaret dancer in the shade, was tugging at her almost non-existent clothes in a desparate attempt to cover herself.
I am not an old-fashioned puritan to ask girls and boys to keep away from modern fashions. They are free to pick and choose what they desire; but they should bear in mind that church is not the same as a dancing hall, a circus ring, a park, a pub or a swimming pool. We are not cave-dwellers either. Strange! When we strictly adhere to dress codes at formal places it is free-for-all in the church!
The parents and the elders have to be role models to the younger generations. Sadly, a few adults take it so casual that men in sleeveless T-Shirts and women in hardly anything more than undergarments (so they look!) go to Sacraments. They may put it down to the sultry weather or some other discomfort.
Young adults and children look for some good examples to emulate. They look up and alas! are not fed. The youth is a texture much too precious to be misguided and lost. It is especially so when they have abounding faith in their elders. It will be the death-knell of the beautiful Christian culture in many of the metropolitan cities of our country, if we don’t rise up to the present times.
Let us muster the courage and strength to guard and guide the younger ones. We have the best example, the Good Shepherd.
