For the Feast of St. Isidore the Farmer

On May 15 Holy Mother Church honors St. Isidore the Farmer. The patron saint of farmers, St. Isidore lived in Madrid, Spain in the 1100s and worked as a farmer. His greatest focus, however, was God. He always attended daily Mass, and while working in the fields, St. Isidore prayed continually to the Lord. He and his wife, who is also a saint, devoted their simple lives to God, working, praying, caring for the poor, and trusting in the Lord. It is said that while St. Isidore attended Mass, his guardian angel would continue his work in the fields.  He gave God his all, trusting in the Lord to care for his daily needs. We would do well to imitate these virtuous qualities, striving to make daily Mass a priority in our lives instead of attending when we feel our schedule allows.

 The following prayer asks St. Isidore to help us attain the same love for the Holy Mass which he possessed so that we too may grow daily in holiness. We can also ask for St. Isidore's intercession for much needed rain (anyway it is needed in Kansas).

Prayer to St. Isidore the Farmer

Good Saint, we are told that your devotion to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was so great that you would rise before it was light in order to be able to attend Mass before beginning your work in the fields. Obtain for us, we pray you, some of that loving devotion to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. There it is that the fruits of our farm labor, bread and wine, are brought and offered to God by the priest. Then, in the consecration, Christ Himself, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, becomes present on our altars under the appearances of this same bread and wine. And in what was the altar bread, He comes to us to be the very food of our souls. If we deeply realize the value and beauty of Holy Mass, we will be very happy to attend as often as we possibly can.

Help us to understand that in the Mass we offer ourselves to God with Christ by the hands of the priest. There we can bring to God all that we do, and offer it to Him in union with His Holy Sacrifice. The oftener we do this now, the happier we shall be hereafter. Good Saint Isidore, bless us and our labors, that we may some day reap the reward of good works with you in heaven. Amen.