Well, tonight we went to my St. Mary's Catholic Women's Club. When we walked in, I noticed that everyone stopped talking and stared at us. I said "hello," and continued walking through. People made a path for us.
I thought this odd, and then I remembered. Pauline is in a religious habit. That's what everybody is staring at. I had to laugh. I was wondering why people were looking at me. It's not me they're looking at, it's Sister.
This morning, we went to the women's prison. Her habit is noticeable. One person came up to her and asked for her blessing because she was leaving the prison soon and needed all the grace she could get. But another woman yelled at her that she was no Mother Theresa. I prayed for the person who was screaming at Sister. She probably has mental issues.
I learned that wearing a religious habit can be an advantage and a curse. Everyone definitely notices. Depending on their frame of references, they might react positively or negatively.
Either way, wearing a religious habit is a public witness to Jesus Christ. It sets you apart. It keeps people away, which may be an advantage to the wearer. But I bet if the religious went among these same people without the habit, once, these people would come up to the religious and want to know what was going on, where's your habit, how come you're not in habit, what does it mean, etc. Now that's really giving witness to Christ.
