Opus Dei for the Catholic Parrothead

While Opus Dei and the life of a Parrothead may seem oppositional on face, in reality they complement one another in some very unique and sanctifying ways. The teachings of St. Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei, and the lyrics of Jimmy Buffett songs offer contrasting yet complementary insights into life. One focuses on the sanctification of daily work and ordinary activities, while the other celebrates leisure, relaxation, and the joys of life. Here's how quotes from both could help explain their integration:

Finding Meaning in Ordinary Life

• Josemaría Escrivá: "Add a supernatural motive to your ordinary professional work, and you will have sanctified it."
• Jimmy Buffett: "It's those changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, nothing remains quite the same."

Combining these perspectives could mean finding a supernatural or higher purpose in even the leisure activities and lifestyle changes celebrated in Buffett's songs. The change in "latitudes" and "attitudes" can be sanctified if approached with the right motive.

Balancing Work and Play

• Josemaría Escrivá: "You need a heart in love, not an easy life, to achieve happiness."
• Jimmy Buffett: "If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane."

Escrivá suggests that an easy life is not the path to happiness but rather a loving heart. Buffett highlights the necessity of laughter, perhaps as a mechanism for maintaining sanity amidst the chaos of life. Together, they paint a picture of a life that is both earnest in its responsibilities and joyful in its freedoms.

The Importance of the Present Moment

• Josemaría Escrivá: "You are writing the story of your life one moment at a time."
• Jimmy Buffett: "Yesterday's over my shoulder, so I can't look back for too long. There's just too much to see waiting in front of me."

Both Escrivá and Buffett emphasize the importance of the present moment—Escrivá in the context of personal sanctification and Buffett in the context of life's adventures. Buffett's focus on the present and future aligns with Escrivá's notion that every moment is an opportunity for sanctification.

Living Ethically and Morally

• Josemaría Escrivá: "To be Christ himself, we must see ourselves in him. It's not enough to have a general idea of the spirit of Jesus; we have to learn the details of his life and, through them, his attitudes."
• Jimmy Buffett: "It's a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning."

Buffett's line evokes the ethical and moral dilemmas people face, particularly when it comes to balancing leisure activities with responsibilities. Escrivá's advice suggests that such balance can be found by modeling one's life after Jesus, learning his "details" and "attitudes" and incorporating them into one's own behavior.

By integrating these perspectives, a Catholic Parrothead could approach both leisure and work as opportunities for personal growth and sanctification. They might find that both Escrivá's emphasis on sanctifying the everyday and Buffett's celebration of life's joys can be part of a balanced, meaningful existence.

While some might see a tension between the serious spiritual focus of Opus Dei and the laid-back, leisure-oriented Parrothead lifestyle, it is certainly possible for the two to be integrated in a way that enriches both the spiritual and social aspects of a person's life.