When the Homily is about Immunology

Costumes

What a strange world. Yesterday as I walked to my bus stop in downtown Seattle I saw a young man (mid 20's maybe?) walking down the street dressed exactly like this. I thought to myself, after chuckling a bit, "Now there is a guy with a soundtrack running through his head. Better stay clear of him, he may be armed to the hilt and can dodge my bullets by doing cartwheels or something."

Upon arriving at home I found that the local self-proclaimed "halloween superstore" had graced my mailbox with a multi-paged color flyer. On the cover, in between a scantily clad barmaid and a near nude vampire babe were found a hunky priest and a drop dead gorgeous nun. Nothin new I know...but I find myself more and more offended by such nonsense each year.

Imagine, there was a time when such religions "costumes" were a sign of respect and dignity. In part due to the recent RCC scandals, identifiably clothed clergy and monastics can expect harrassment - so real in fact is the potential for violence (yes it has happened), that I have heard the discussion amongst priests I know asking whether or not they ought to wear their collars in public. Of course, the Orthodox are graced with the option of a cassock (which would be my choice) in which case they could don sunglasses and look a little like this guy. Though their soundtrack may sound a bit more Byzantine.