St. Isidore the farmer
Friends in Christ, today is the Feast of St. Isidore the Farmer. St. Isidore was a farmer in 11th century Spain. Early in his life he fled the approaching Muslim invasion of Spain, and obtained farm work near Madrid. He married Maria Torribia who was a peasant girl. Together they had one son, but he died as a child. They spent their lives as farmers, faithfully doing their daily work.
.
Isidore was a man who trusted God, a man of prayer. While walking behind the plow or bailing hay, he thought often of the Lord. Despite hours of hard work, he went to daily Mass. This love of God led Isidore and his wife to be very generous with themselves in love of neighbor, especially assisting the poor living in the city slums. Both Isidore and Maria were declared saints – at that time, the only husband and wife saints, although there are more now.
.
We can learn a great deal from them. They did not do what we would call ‘heroic things.’ They lived their daily life so as to give glory to God. God HAS raised up saints who have done great miracles, but the majority of us are called to offer our simple daily life to God, as a gift to him.
.
We begin our day with a morning offering. ‘Lord, I offer everything to you. ‘Let my words and my work and my thoughts be holy and pleasing to you.’ We do our work well as a gift to God. We encounter Jesus in our workmates; we do housework in patience; we see children, not as a chore but as a divine mission. Praying at meals, the Angelus at noon; we punctuate the day with prayer, but the entire day is filled with aspirations of love of God. ‘Lord, I love you.’ ‘O Holy Spirit, help me in this task.’ At nightfall, we kneel and thank the Lord, and briefly examine our conscience, make an act of sorrow for our sins. Ask the Blessed Virgin’s help at night.
.
This is the life of a saint to which we are called, holiness in the little things, doing them for God. And this was the humble, faithful life of St. Isidore the farmer.
