Today’s saint, Isidore of Spain, was born to poor farm laborers who, like Father Peyton’s parents, were rich in faith. Their example helped shape this future saint, who, along with his wife, St. Maria de la Cabeza, would become renowned for their piety and charity as they worked on an estate for their entire lives.
St. Isidore is the patron saint of farmers and the city of Madrid. In fact, it has become a practice to bless seeds before planting on St. Isidore’s feast day in hopes of a fruitful crop. This tradition symbolizes the farmers' trust in God's providence and their recognition of the role of faith in their daily work.
As I thought about St. Isidore’s connection to seed planting, I was drawn to St. Paul’s farewell in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Paul is addressing the priests, whom he has spent three years preparing to be the pastors of Ephesus.
Watching Over the Flock
He reminds them of their responsibility to keep watch over themselves and the flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed them. I can imagine Paul trusting in God’s plan for this young church while at the same time knowing the potential pitfalls that lay ahead.
As parents, mothers and fathers seek to impart their children with a faith in God that will lead them to make the right decisions each day. As leaders of their domestic church, like Paul, they know there are wolves lurking on the horizon, as well as those in their children’s sphere who can pervert the truth, leading them astray.
A Life Centered on Christ
Paul tells the priests to be vigilant and to remember his three years of admonishing them to know and live a life centered on Jesus. Parents are called to do the same by giving a good example of Christian living through word and deed in the home and outside … planting the seeds of faith.
Paul commended those priests and their church to God and to God’s Word, which he reminded them would build them up. Paul also reminded the priests that they should be focused on saving souls rather than financial gain, even going so far as to say that he did the hard work with his own hands in helping the weak, not for silver or gold, but for God.
Like parents, Paul wants the priests to take His example and make it their own in serving God and those He’s placed in their lives.
Praying Together
Finally, Paul gives us all an example in how he ends his farewell: “…when he finished speaking, he knelt down and prayed with them all.”
If we want to plant the good seeds of faith in our families, we need to listen to Paul’s message of consecrating our lives to Jesus, of being watchful and protective of our children and of our souls, and of praying together, beginning with our families.
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