St. Isidore – Working & Praying
theophilus May 15th, 2008
St. Isidore was quite a character.
A simple farmer from the 12th Century who worked for the same rich guy all of his life. He went to Mass every day, visited churches on holidays, prayed behind the plow, served the poor, cared for animals, and married a peasant girl who also became a saint herself.
Not bad for a poor guy.
One thing that is so great about his life is that he didn’t allow his station in life to interfere with his faith and the exercise of it. But, history is full of the faithful who were without means and high positions but nevertheless lived as model Catholics.
What makes St. Isidore so great is that he was a layperson who didn’t allow his work to interfere with his faith and the exercise of it. In fact, his faith and work became intertwined to such an extent that one became an extension of the other. To make this synergy happen in a nonprofit or community service environment is hard enough, but to live a saintly life without being in a public service type job is downright impossible.
Or is it?
Why can’t we live our worklives as an extension of our faith? Why can’t we offer our jobs up to Christ? Rely on Jesus, Mary and the saints to guide us through each day? To find Christ in the people we work with and everyone we come into contact with during the course of our workday? To ensure that what we do in our work reflects well on our faith? That we are not just 5-9 Catholics while checking our faith at the office door?
St. Isidore somehow got it that he was called to do a job and to do it well. He got that he was called to live a seamless life for Christ – whether he was at work or doing something else. His is a role model for each of us who comprise the laity of the Church. We need to live each moment of each day as an offering to Christ. We must bear fruit no matter the tasks of the day.
The Church has let us in on the fact that it considers St. Isidore’s life to be a big deal – one of emulation for the rest of us. He was canonized in 1622, at the same time as those other Spanish lightweights – St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis Xavier, and St. Philip Neri. What incredible company for this simple farmer just trying to live his life in union with the Lord.
So, how about saying little prayers as we go about our work today? Let’s ask St. Isidore to show us how.
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Optional Memorial of St. Isidore, holy man (Spain, 1070-1130) – farmer; married St. Maria de la Cabeza; patron saint of Madrid, Spain and U.S. National Rural Life Conference; canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV; one of the Spanish “Five Saints.”
