8.189. Why do traditional Catholics seem so serious or strict? Isn’t religion about love and joy?
1. The Seriousness of the Faith: A Sign of Reverence, Not Rigidity
At first glance, traditional Catholics—kneeling silently at Mass, dressed modestly, genuflecting reverently, and avoiding worldly distractions—may appear overly strict, rigid, or even joyless. But this seriousness is not coldness; it is the natural response to the presence of the Almighty God, the Creator and Judge of all, present in the Blessed Sacrament and in the sacred liturgy.
The apparent "strictness" of traditional Catholics is rooted in love of truth, fear of God, and deep reverence for the things of heaven. In a world that trivializes everything and mocks what is holy, traditional Catholics strive to honor God as He has asked to be honored—with reverence, solemnity, and careful attention to doctrine and discipline.
2. Scriptural Foundation for Reverence and Fear of God
The Holy Scriptures are filled with exhortations to approach God with fear and trembling:
“With fear and trembling work out your salvation.”
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
“Let all the earth fear the Lord: and let all the inhabitants of the world be in awe of him.”
This fear is not servile dread, but filial reverence—the awe and respect owed to the divine majesty. Christ Himself warned:
“Enter ye in at the narrow gate... how narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it!”
Seriousness in the Faith stems from taking these warnings seriously—not assuming salvation, not making religion a casual social activity, but living each moment as though eternity hangs in the balance.
3. Love and Joy Are Found in Truth, Not Emotion
The traditional Catholic does not separate love and joy from seriousness. True joy is not emotional giddiness or social friendliness; it is the deep peace of a soul united to God. It is the joy of Mary at the Annunciation, who rejoiced in humility. It is the joy of the martyrs, who died with smiles on their faces for Christ. It is the joy of the saints, who chose a hard path because they desired the eternal reward.
The modern view of religion often replaces this deep joy with shallow emotionalism: upbeat music, casual dress, jokes from the pulpit, handshakes and applause in church. These things may feel warm, but they have nothing to do with divine worship. They distract from the holiness of God and reduce worship to a human-centered event.
Pope St. Pius X warned against this trend over a century ago:
“It is not by these means that the faithful will be inspired to devotion. On the contrary, such things disturb and distract them.”
4. Strictness or Fidelity?
Traditional Catholic discipline—such as modest dress, kneeling for Communion, fasting before the Eucharist, and frequent confession—is not harshness but obedience to God's commands and Church law as they have been handed down through the centuries. They reflect fidelity, not Pharisaical legalism.
True discipline is an expression of charity: love for God shown in obedience. Love that costs nothing is sentimentalism. Christ Himself said:
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
5. Suffering and Joy Are Not Opposites
Traditional Catholicism also does not shy away from the Cross. In fact, the saints teach us that true joy is found in uniting our suffering with Christ's. The world tells us to seek comfort and self-fulfillment. Christ tells us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (Luke 9:23). This is not joyless—it is the path to heaven.
Saint Teresa of Ávila, known for her deep mystical joy, once said:
“The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes.”
Joy is not always loud, visible, or emotional. It is often silent, firm, radiant, and anchored in the truth that God is with us, even in suffering.
| Category | Traditional Catholic View | Modern Emotional View | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joy | Deep, spiritual, grounded in truth and obedience | Emotional, fleeting, tied to comfort or music | True joy comes from union with God, not feelings |
| Reverence | Expressed in silence, solemnity, posture, and dress | Seen as outdated or uncomfortable | External reverence reflects interior devotion |
| Fear of God | Filial awe and respect due to divine majesty | Downplayed or avoided in favor of “God is nice” | Scripture praises holy fear as the start of wisdom |
| Strictness | Fidelity to truth and Church discipline | Seen as judgmental or lacking “compassion” | Christ praised those who obey, not those who feel |
| Expression | Peaceful, serious, ordered worship | Loud, social, casual environments | Mass is sacrifice, not entertainment |
| Love | Shown by obedience to God’s will and commands | Confused with tolerance or sentimentality | “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15) |
Summary:
Traditional Catholics may seem serious, strict, or somber compared to what is often seen in modern religious settings—but this is not a defect, it is a sign of their reverence for the Most High God and their awareness of the eternal stakes involved in the Faith.
We live in a culture of noise, distraction, and emotionalism. Religion, for many, has become a self-help program or entertainment. But the Church has always understood that the Mass is Calvary—the unbloody re-presentation of Christ’s Sacrifice. It is a solemn, sacred act—not a community gathering.
Traditional Catholic discipline (such as dress, silence, genuflection, fasting, and confession) reflects a love of truth and a seriousness about salvation. It is not “strictness” for its own sake but an expression of fidelity to God.
This seriousness is not in opposition to joy—it is the foundation of true joy, which is not rooted in sentiment or emotion, but in grace, peace, and truth. The saints radiated this joy even in martyrdom or suffering. They understood that life is short and eternity is forever, and they lived in light of that truth.
To be serious about the Faith is not to be unkind or unloving. Quite the opposite—it is to love God so much that we are willing to give Him everything, even when the world calls us rigid, cold, or out of touch.
The modern world is allergic to seriousness. But Christ said the path to heaven is narrow, and few find it. Traditional Catholics strive to stay on that path, not to earn salvation, but to love God as He has asked to be loved—with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30).
Further Reading:
The Spiritual Life – Fr. Adolphe Tanquerey
The Soul of the Apostolate – Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard
The Imitation of Christ – Thomas à Kempis
The Catechism of the Council of Trent – Sections on the Sacrifice of the Mass, Fear of God, and Virtue