I have posted and observed discussions on modesty on some discussion boards that ended up degenerating into factions. One is of those who hold it is not that difficult for a girl or woman to manage wearing a dress or skirt to mass, one that thinks nice pants suits are ok those(usually women)who swear that the fact that woman's pants are tailored for women mean pants are women's clothes now and hey "Jesus wore a dress".
One of the benefits of having a blog is my blog, my rules :)
We live in strange and perilous times. I am well aware that sentiment has been shared by others in prior decades or centuries. The difference now is, by the grace of God, man has made great strides in knowledge of our world, technology etc and we have a much higher capability for destruction on many levels. One example, even 100 years ago, most parents could expect to have at least one of their children die if not more of diseases or situations that are either preventable today or easily cured after a visit to your pediatrician. Children were seen, as per the Bible, as a blessing and a gift. Now, too often they are a convenience and it is legal to kill them before they are born just because.
If you live in North America or Europe, you live in a culture informed by western civilization and in that civilization, pants were men's clothes and dresses or skirts were women's clothes. Yes, I know of Scotland and the kilt, but I know of no other and the kilt was still different as women still wore full length skirts. Anyone who was brought or came to America, was inculturated in some aspect of the European culture which was brought here. Even for those of us who also have African and or Native American roots, there were differences in men's and women clothes.
In short, the push for women to wear and to be able to wear pants everywhere was pushed in the 1960's and 1970's as part of the same cultural push to mandate the amount of children must be controlled and minimized and women should/must work outside the home. I remember being incensed when I was about 10 at a letter to Ann Landers or Dear Abby from a man stating he wished women would stop wearing pants to work and everywhere. I thought about writing a letter back because in my opinion, dresses and skirts were too cold in the winter and pantyhose are uncomfortable. That is true if you are wearing what society considers a dress or skirt. Quite the opposite if you do it right and no hindrance or lack of modesty to an active toddler, again if you do it right.
One aspect of my childhood attending protestant churches is it was always assumed that you wore Sunday best to church. It did not have to be fancy, just clean and for girls or women, a dress or skirt. Does God care what we wear? Not in the sense that he cares what color you wear or whether it is from Target or Macy's. God is God and when we go to Mass we are going to worship God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to partake of the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus. I don't think it is too much that we women make certain what we are wearing is modest and feminine.
More in my next post and I will also discuss head coverings.
Note, lest anyone think I am casting stones or being overly critical- I know a woman who is married and they have 10 blessings. She home schools their children and the entire family goes to a 7am daily mass every day (and they do not dash in at the last second). The wife and daughters wear head coverings to mass, and I wish I had my life half as organized and engaged in the church militant as she does. And she and her daughters have jeans and appropriate shirts on at daily mass (but never on Sunday).
