"Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one's life does not consist of possessions." - Luke 12:13
How did Nordstrom find the courage to finally let go of the world, or maybe the world let go of him?
"Lage Nom Ai" is about facing life's struggles and challenges head-on, yet with a sense of humor and optimism. The title itself is a playful take on "L'âge N'om Aï," which is roughly translated from French as "the age I don't know," symbolizing a sense of lost identity or existential quandary.
My Challenges:
- Existential Questions: Why am I here? What are you calling me to do? The song touches on existential themes of suffering, purpose, and the meaning of life. The Church offers definite answers to these questions through the lens of faith, which could be at odds with the more laissez-faire approach to life's complexities implied by the song. Certainly it would be easy to throw your hands to the air and seek a hedonistic pleasure, but that leaves us so empty. We can pursue the worldly, but that still doesn't leave us truly rich?
- Reliance on Self: You got this, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, just do it. The song's emphasis on facing life's difficulties with humor and a stiff upper lip might suggest a more self-reliant approach, conflicts with our Catholic emphasis on divine grace and community as sources of strength in times of trial. We can't do it on our own. Just as Jesus in John Chapter 15 draws to light the essence of the True Vine, we can't do anything without our connection to our Lord. Paul knew it, in his letter to Philippians, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Why do we try to do it all on our own?
- Worldly Pleasures: Oh brother... it's not necessarily material possessions that possess me. It's the pleasures that would become the death of my soul. Today, Thursday of the 29th week of Ordinary Time; Romans 6:19-23
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your nature.
For just as you presented the parts of your bodies as slaves to impurity
and to lawlessness for lawlessness,
so now present them as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.
But what profit did you get then
from the things of which you are now ashamed?
For the end of those things is death.
But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God,
the benefit that you have leads to sanctification,
and its end is eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Lessons from "Lage Nom Ai":
- Humor and Joy: One of the underlying messages of the song is to face challenges with humor and joy, an outlook that is compatible with Catholic teachings. In fact, many saints have emphasized the importance of joy in the spiritual life.
- Human Struggle: Both the song and Catholic teachings acknowledge the inevitability of human struggle. While the song may not offer spiritual solutions, it does align with the Catholic understanding that life involves suffering and challenges that must be faced, albeit with divine assistance in the context of faith.
- Personal Interpretation: A Catholic Parrothead might interpret the song as an allegory for the journey of faith, where one faces numerous challenges but persists, with the help of both divine grace and personal resilience.
- Community Support: The song's ethos of facing challenges with optimism can be aligned with the importance of community and fellowship in both Parrothead and Catholic circles. Such communal support is seen as a way to help individuals through their struggles, whether they are spiritual, emotional, or physical.
- Acknowledging Imperfection: The song's focus on life's challenges could serve as a reminder of the human tendency towards concupiscence, which Catholics believe can only be fully overcome through divine grace. It could encourage a Catholic Parrothead to seek spiritual sustenance and strength through prayer, the sacraments, and virtuous living.
"Lage Nom Ai" can be seen as a cultural artifact that speaks to the existential human condition, resonating with the sense of struggle that Catholic doctrine also acknowledges. The duality of being a Catholic Parrothead could manifest in how one reconciles the song's secular philosophy with the spiritual wisdom and moral teachings of the Church. The reconciliation would likely involve a nuanced understanding that finds value in both perspectives, integrating them into a cohesive worldview. Though this may lead to conflict as Jesus spoke of in Luke 12:49-53
Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
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