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| Parable of the Sower |
From Abbot Gueranger:
St. Gregory the Great justly remarks, that this Parable needs no explanation. since Eternal Wisdom himself has told us its meaning. All that we have to do, is to profit by this divine teaching, and become the good soil, wherein the heavenly Seed may yield a rich harvest. How often have we not, hitherto, allowed it to be trampled on by them that passed by, or to be torn up by the birds of the air? How often has it not found our heart like a stone, that could give no moisture, or like a thorn plot, that could but choke? We listened to the Word of God; we took pleasure in hearing it; and from this we argued well for ourselves. Nay, we have often received this Word with joy and eagerness. Sometimes, even, it took root within us. But, alas! something always came to stop its growth. Henceforth, it must both grow and yield fruit. The Seed given to us is of such quality, that the Divine Sower has a right to expect a hundred-fold. If the soil, that is, if our heart, be good;- if we take the trouble to prepare it, by profiting of the means afforded us by the Church;- we shall have an abundant harvest to show our Lord on that grand Day, when, rising triumphant from his Tomb, he shall come to share with his faithful people the glory of his Resurrection.
Inspirited by this hope, and full of confidence in Him, who has once more thrown his Seed in this long ungrateful soil, let us sing with the Church, in her Offertory, these beautiful words of the Royal Psalmist:- they are a prayer for holy resolution and perseverance. (Read more.)
4 comments:
Isn't there also a period before Lent in the Eastern Rite Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches that is similar?
Yes, there is. They have the Sundays in which are the last time they can eat eggs and milk meats. They begin Lent on the Monday before Ash Wednesday.
So, if the Roman Catholic Church in the Novus Ordo calendar marked these three Sundays before Lent, we would be more in harmony with the Eastern Rite Catholics! and the Eastern Orthodox.
In other words, we would be breathing better (two lungs)!
Exactly! And we would be more in harmony to the actual practice of the early Church, which is what Vatican II was supposed to be all about! How helpful it would be to still have a liturgical preparation for the rigors of Lent which was was Septuagesima-tide was supposed to be about.
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