Right now I'm reading an awesome series of talks for young women given by a solid priest in the 1920s. Though written almost a century ago, his words still ring very true. I highly recommend the entire booklet, but this excerpt on modesty struck me today...
"Of course I know that many excuses will be given for indecency in dress. Some girls say that they cannot spare the time or money to have a dress made, but must buy it ready made, and they can only get what is in style. But many of the dresses that are objectionable are not obtained at the stores, but are made to order.
Moreover, if the store style is extreme, it is because the demand for it is great. If Catholic girls insist on the proper style, it will be found on the counters. In most of our cities, the Catholic trade is worth having, and stores will supply that trade. But even if the stores are to blame, which I do not concede, a modest girl will know how to make a modest alteration.
Why should Catholics take up the fashions of those who are living merely for the life that is passing? Our forefathers suffered confiscation, imprisonment, exile and death for the Faith. Were they all fools? Millions of martyrs endured indescribable torture for the the Faith. Were they wrong?
Is what Christ says true, or not? 'What does it profit to gain the whole world and lose your soul?' The life is more than the body, and the soul is more than life. Because there is a sort of Christianized paganism abroad, are we going to be swallowed up by it?
In the early days of Christianity, the followers of Christ had to take their stand. If they had not, there would have been no Christian civilization. And are not we going to take a stand to preserve what was established in their blood!"
Bottom line, it is worth the extra time to look at our outfits on a daily basis and question ourselves. Do we look like Christian women, or do we blend in with the crowd? Looking fashionable and attractive is a good thing, and we should take our time getting dressed, embracing our femininity. But there is no excuse for immodesty. It should never be acceptable to leave the house with the potential of leading one of our brothers in Christ to sin, and giving other women the example that such dress is ok. Women are God's beautiful creatures and we should embrace this beauty by dressing with dignity.
1 comment:
Wow, I can't believe this was written in the 1920s! I can't even wrap my mind around what immodesty meant back then, and the fact that women faced such a similar struggle as we do! I guess we need to keep working, so that history doesn't continue repeating itself. Can you imagine the modesty standards in 90 years from now, if things continue this way??
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