Earlier this month, my family and I spent a weekend in central New York State and attended Mass at Historic Old St. John’s Catholic Church in Utica. The church is breathtaking. Over two hundred years old and recently renovated, the architecture, altar, stained glass, murals, statues, Stations of the Cross, and even the hanging lights were a magnificent stage and backdrop for the divine liturgy. We were very thankful to have found it.

Several rows ahead of us, in the foreground, however, was a fellow worshipper wearing a black t-shirt with, “WE’LL MAKE YOU A CANNOLI YOU CAN’T REFUSE!” in bold, white capital letters on his back. I usually prefer to sit near the front so that I can focus on the Mass and not get distracted by rumpled hairstyles and cock-eyed shirt collars, but with a toddler, we had chosen a back pew. That shirt, however, ended up being an annoying distraction for me. I couldn’t ignore it. Then after the Mass, I mentioned the black tee to my family, and one of my sons complained that he couldn’t stop reading it, even though he knew what it said. The other commented on what a distraction it was to the beauty of the church. He wanted to absorb its splendor, but the man’s shirt kept drawing his eyes away.

In the Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis, a senior demon named Screwtape, is coaching his nephew, Wormwood, on how to tempt a human soul away from God. One of the most relatable strategies he recommended is to distract his human while in church by amplifying other parishioners’ foibles and faults.  

I am certain that man didn’t realize that he prevented our family and others behind him from fully participating in the Mass. Nor do I imagine he was consciously tempting us away from God. He probably didn’t think of his shirt as being inappropriate for church; he may have just come from work at an Italian bakery. But it can be a reminder for me, and now for you, about the power of our appearance. Wearing modest, tasteful clothes and grooming our hair shows respect to God, his Church, and our community.

Scripture: Read Acts 2:42. What stands out?

Call to Action: Make a conscious choice when choosing church clothes. It makes a difference. And if you are looking for a good fictional read, pick up The Screwtape Letters in book or audiobook. Screwtape’s temptations will hit home.