What Happened to Putting On Our Sunday Best?

Maybe the better question is, "When did Sunday become more like another Saturday? As we approach the beginning of Holy Week, many will shop for Easter outfits. Some folks will make reservations for Easter Brunch. And some will make elaborate Easter baskets, dye eggs, plan an Easter egg hunt to get the kids running around outside the house. And some, under guilt or duress, will make an annual or biannual trek to church. But most will miss the heart of the season. God's love for us and what it cost to love us, for no earthly reason.

So, what about the use of Sunday and Sunday clothes? Well, it started when I read an article in the NYTimes(3/23/26) by two Ukrainian women, Alyona Synenko and Olga Engibarova, entitled, "To Dress Up Is To Live." In the article, they wrote about the older generation, despite the ongoing war, continue to dress up. "We dress to show not only who we are but who we want to be."

Wars rage in and around us, destabilizing more than stock markets. Too many of us teeter on the brink of despair. Hope needs a booster shot, or maybe a new Easter outfit. Low on funds? Well, consider this, God offers us a sacred swap in Isaiah 61:3, "...beauty for ashes, oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." (NKJV))

In two days, the calendar states March 29 is Palm Sunday. Some will head to church, others to the mall, gym, or a sporting event. These represent ways Sunday has become more like another Saturday. It's become a me-day , or a day to get a jump start on Monday.

So what? What we choose to wear, come Sunday, often reflects our values. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. What difference that day and the coming week make has much to do with the question Jesus asked his disciples, " Who do you say I am?" (Matthew 16:13-16, NLT) It's not a trick question. God's enemy and ours wants to distract us from the heart of the matter. How? He shifts the focus from our hearts to the externals of the season, as fun, beautiful and delicious as they may be.

So, take a look at what the well-dressed follower or Jesus should be wearing, and not just on Sundays. Ephesians 6:11 reminds us, " Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil." That outfit includes wearing the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation. If a visible outfit, some would come wearing a helmet, instead of an Easter bonnet. Not a trend setter! That reminds me of something I read during the pandemic. "They said to wear a mask and gloves would be enough to go to the grocery store. They lied. Everyone else had clothes on!"

Well, Springtime and Easter remind us of two of God's great booster shots, JOY and HOPE. So, no matter what you wear, I hope you'll give Church, and especially Jesus, another look and listen to during Holy Week. Like one of the older men in Ukraine said, "We dress for a better world." While clothes may help keep up spirits, I believe Jesus, at work in and through us, is at the heart of a better world.

So fear not, dare to dress in your Sunday best and head to church on Palm Sunday "to show who we want to be." Hungry hearts and wigglers welcome. Helmets and Easter bonnets optional.