Shoved to Them
Once upon a time, people would atone for sins by donning their hair shirts. I’m not really sure what they looked like or how they were made, but I’ll bet they were pretty itchy. Hair shirt just sounds itchy. The whole point was to wear it under your regular clothes and endure the itchiness so that no one would know about the penance you were making.
I have lots of questions about them, because I’m a girl and am fascinated with clothes. I think that must come with the second “X” chromosome. I want to know where they bought them…did they make them themselves? Whose hair were they made from? When did people stop wearing hair shirts, and why?
I wish they would make a comeback. I like the idea of personal mortification which requires cheerfulness and self-control. No more wimpy pseudo-fasting during Lent, no sir, not for us. Bring it on! We can take it!
The only problem with my Catholic religious revival is where to lay my hands on a billion hair shirts. (That’s how many Catholics are in the world, and I’m sure they all want to participate.) So, I’m proposing an alternative called “Itchy Sweaters for Everyone!”
I think the itchy sweater could be the modern take on the hair shirt. So, this Ash Wednesday, put on the scratchiest you have, go to Mass, get the ashes on your forehead, be cheerful, and offer it up. It could be the beginning of great things for us. Just remember it all started in Oklahoma with a mom, a scratchy sweater, and a dream of what could be….
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In