St. Isidore was born at Madrid, Spain, in the latter half of the 12th century. For the greater part of his life he was employed as a laborer on a farm outside the city. Many marvelous happenings accompanied his lifelong work in the fields and continued long after his holy death. He was favored with celestial visions and, it is said, the angels sometimes helped him in his work in the fields. St. Isidore died about the year 1130 and was canonized in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV.Isidore’s wife, Maria Torribia, also called Maria de la Cabeza, who shared Isidore’s humble and laborious life, as well as his great care for the poor, is a Blessed whose feast is assigned to September 9.
PRAYER: Lord, all creation is Yours, and You call us to serve You by carrying for the gifts that surround us. May the example of St. Isidore urge us to share our food with the hungry and to work for the salvation of mankind. Amen.