The Catholic Church is often accused of being old-fashioned, as though this were something we should all shudder at hearing. Being old-fashioned is painted as the bane of existence – having the latest gadget, the newest trend, and the hottest lingo is obviously what we should strive for. Being old-fashioned is just another way of saying that the Church doesn’t know what in the world she’s talking about, and how could she, as old-fashioned as she is? Until she “gets with the times,” there’s probably no hope for any of us.
Whatevah! (Said in my very best voice, rolling eyes, turning away)
I have a feeling JC was old-fashioned too, all that referring to “the beginning” when the Pharisees asked him about divorce, all that compassion, all that hanging around with the scum of the earth. Jesus spent a lot of time talking about faith – or a lack thereof – and how important it is. Faith might just be the secret ingredient to this old-fashioned business.
Before we get caught up in being “with it,” let’s look to our models, the saints and Jesus himself. You see lots of WWJD paraphernalia out there in the wide world, right next to the hip-hugging jeans and the navel-baring shirts our kids are wearing (well, maybe not our kids, right?). What would Jesus do? What’s so wrong with old-fashioned? We’re in pretty good company, after all!
Every time I hear “old-fashioned” I think of the wisdom of our elders. So many times when we are young we blow off the wisdom shared with us by our parents and grandparents — and sometimes, if we are lucky, our greatgrandparents. For whatever reason though, it sticks with us and at some point, we realize the wisdom in their old-fashioned-ness.
+Lord, make me ‘old-fashioned’!
Old-fashioned also makes me think of things that have a lot of dust on them from sitting and the peculiar smell of books that have been around for a while, don’t look worth reading, and have treasures buried within their pages. Old-fashioned makes me taste the ice cream we made at Grandma’s house and feel the crinkle of dress-up clothes that were really hand-me-downs.
Not all old-fashioned things are good, of course. But we throw out the baby with the bathwater (*groan* at the cliche, but it’s the concept I’m after) when we toss out everything old-fashioned without seeking the Wisdom!