Hymn
Lord, who before Your praise was heard
Were praised in silence by the Word,
And whom, from all eternity
Your Son has praised sufficiently:
Please deign to be our hallowing,
And we in Christ Your Son will sing,
Then Your poor creatures’ prayers will rise
Sufficient praise before Your eyes.
Through Jesus Christ let this be done,
Who lives and reigns, our Lord, Your Son,
Whom with the Spirit we adore,
One God with You forevermore.
Antiphon
P. Whatever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, / giving thanks to God the Father through him.
(Psalm 22)
All: The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
Beside restful waters he leads me; / he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths; / for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; / for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff / that give me courage.
You spread the table before me / in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil, / my cup overflows.
Only goodness and kindness follow me / all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord / for years to come.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, / and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be / world without end. Amen.
Antiphon
All: Whatever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, / giving thanks to God the Father through him.
P. (Chapter–Hebrews 10:12-14) Jesus, having offered one sacrifice for sins, has taken his seat forever at the right hand of God, waiting thenceforth until his enemies be made the footstool under his feet. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. Offer to God the sacrifice of praise.
R. And pay your vows to the Most High.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
Let us pray
P. Protect us, O Lord; who offer holocausts to You, and sear our hearts with the flame of Your divine charity, so that they may be ever more fervently prepared for sacrifice, through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
V. St. Isidore.
R. Pray for us.
Prayer in Honor of Saint Isidore
All: O God, who taught Adam the simple art of tilling the soil, / and who through Jesus Christ, the true vine, / revealed Yourself the husbandman of our souls, / deign, we pray, through the merits of blessed Isidore, / to instill into our hearts a horror of sin and a love of prayer, / so that working the soil in the sweat of our brow, / we may enjoy eternal happiness in heaven, through the same Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
V. Let us bless the Lord.
R. Thanks be to God.
V. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
R. Amen.
REFLECTION
Every profession has its own peculiar way of helping people to manifest love for their neighbor, and for the farmer, the honorable way is to provide basic food for the rest of the world. From the example of St. Isidore, we learn that our daily life is not to be a selfish quest for profit, but an opportunity to serve.
St. Isidore demonstrated love of people and animals by his many acts of kindness and mercy. He never ruled a diocese, nor was he martyred for his faith, but he was a disciple who served God in the fields as a simple plowman. His conduct was honest, and his faith pure and steadfast. He often gave others more than he had for himself, with a good and generous heart.
The capacity to live fruitfully in any Christian community, be it family, parish, or otherwise, is the consequence of staying connected to the vine, Jesus himself. Vines and branches have an intimate relationship – there is no life for the branch apart from the vine. It must remain on the vine to be nourished and sustain life. In the same way, grace is God’s own divine life flowing through Christ and into us. Jesus Christ bonds us together in love.
St. Isidore and Maria had a true friendship in Jesus. Remember that true friends bring out the best in us and make us a better person. In other words, they make us greater. This is what Jesus did for St. Isidore – and this is what Isidore did for others – because “No one has greater love that this, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” It is how St. Isidore gave praise to God!
Bishop Robert Gruss
Diocese of Saginaw
Chair of Catholic Rural Life
Recite the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be (etc.) three times, followed by a prayer of you choice for special needs.
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