So much hate of organized religion, and especially the Catholic Church being thrown out here. Remember The Widows Mite. She was under no obligation to give the second coin, and possibly not the first. But she gave willingly for the glory of God.
What pitiful, spiteful spirits some of you must have. Why should a house of worship, dedicated to God, be one bit less than the best that can be offered? Consider also the Parable of the Wedding Feast. When you have gathering of your friends, do you have them meet you in a filthy, tumbledown shack? Or do you spiff up your house, maybe put out some special decorations and table ware? Do you serve spoiled meat, stale bread, rancid butter, and moldy vegetables? Do you wear ratty, soiled, smelly clothing?
So why then, when the Christian family comes together to worship as a community, do you insist that it take less care coming before The King of Glory than you do having a party with your secular friends?
This is not saying that everything must be encrusted with precious metals and gems, or that you can only worship in a tux. Far from it. But it should all be the best you can afford. There was one man in our parish who always wore jeans, usually somewhat faded, work boots, and flannel workshirts to church. They, and he, were always clean. No one shunned him, no one though him somehow less. In fact, he was one of the pillars of that parish. He gave as he could. Another man bought some adjacent property to add to the land the parish had (most of which had been donated by Russian immigrants during the middle of the Depression). He was not thought of more of him for doing that. Again, he gave as he could.
