Fr. Placid’s take on the Sower and the Seed: “The parable of the sower as found in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 8 is usually interpreted as being about the preaching of the Kingdom of God and the various reactions to it. There is another way of seeing it though, and that is to understand the seed as a religious vocation and the reply to its call.
The seed that falls on the hardened path and is eaten up by birds is one response to the vocational call. In this case, the person does not listen and lets the “seed” be taken away by other concerns and fancies.
The rocky soil is the second type of response to a vocation. This person is quite enthused and excited at the outset and seems to be very serious. But when someone or a group challenges them, their enthusiasm melts away, and so does their response to the call.
The thorn bushes are the third kind of reply to a vocation. They may respond and even enter; they may persevere. But their worries and anxieties never leave their minds. Their answer to the call is usually lukewarm and always unstable.
The good soil is the final type of response and the true one. The person’s vocation is stable, fervent, and joyful. They attract others to their call and are good examples to all. Their eyes and hearts are on the Kingdom of God.
The question to the reader: when the vocational call comes, how will you respond?”
God bless you,
Your brothers of New Clairvaux
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