There has been some discussion in the previous thread about how silly it is to worry so much about vestments when there are so many more important problems in the Church. I recall the parable of the talents. Faithfulness in small things, even unimportant things, is a sign that one is capable of fidelity in larger things.
Why do you suppose the Church legislates liturgical dress in the first place? Does it really matter to God what we wear? Does he care whether the priest offers the Sacrifice of the Mass while wearing a stole or chasuble? He could just as easily do it in shorts and a T-shirt. The right clothes do not necessarily indicate personal holiness any more than the wrong clothes indicate carelessness.
But they do help in both indicating and inculcating a state of mind or attitude. If I’m wearing a suit or tuxedo, I will act a certain way, more formal certainly. If I am in a crowd of men all wearing tuxedos and women wearing evening gowns, my attitude will be different. There is no guarantee I will act differently, especially if I wear a tuxedo all the time and I have allowed myself to take it for granted.
Broken windows and taking out the trash
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