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St. Isidore the Farmer (1070-1130)
Invitation to Worship
Our Love is truly risen, alleluia, alleluia!
We make the Sign of the Cross over our lips as we begin.
O Holy ONE + open my lips,
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
Let all creation praise the greatness of God, Alleluia!
Let the universe extol the glory of Adonai, Alleluia!
HYMN FOR ST. ISIDORE’S FEAST
come from you, Creating Lord.
May each task which lies before us
show your gracious will outpoured.
Help us as we build your kin-dom
know we labor not in vain;
give us sure and deep conviction
for the tasks that you ordain.
Some grow food for those who hunger,
tend and heal the broken heart;
set our flagging spirits dancing,
spark our vision through their art.
Others teach and offer counsel,
bear life’s burdens, ease its care;
strive for justice, peace, and freedom
for all people ev’rywhere.
Let us labor in the knowledge
that no task can be too small;
that the God who stretched the heavens
no less shaped the least of all.
Give us strength, God, to accomplish
what you set our hands to do,
that by serving those around us,
we return the gift to you.
Text: Michael Morgan, alt.; Tune: NETTLETON 87.87.D
SERVICE OF THE WORD
PSALMODY
A sower went out to sow. Some seed fell on the path,
some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on good, rich soil.
O Jesus Christ, sow your Word in our hearts, that we may produce a hundredfold. Alleluia!
Psalm 64/65
To You our praise is due
O God in Zion
To You do we commit our lives,
for you are the One who hears our prayer.
To you do we come in the flesh
when we have gone astray.
When our transgressions weigh us down
You are the One who sets us free.
Blessed are those you invite
and welcome to your dwelling.
You fill us with the bounty of your house,
and the holiness of your temple.
You keep your promise with wonders,
O Adonai, our savior,
You are the hope of all on Earth
even the most distant isles.
Clothed in power and strength
You uphold and steady the mountains;
You still the roaring of the seas
(restless waves and raging nations).
You fill them from east to west with your joy.
You tend and water the land,
and it yields a great harvest.
You fill your springs,
ready the seeds, and prepare the grain.
You soak the furrows and level the ridges;
With softening rain you bless its growth.
You crown the year with your goodness,
All you touch comes alive:
Abundance flows in your steps,
In fields and meadows it flows.
The hills are dressed with joy,
the pastures covered with flocks.
the valleys wrap themselves in grain,
They shout for joy and break into song.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love;
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
A sower went out to sow. Some seed fell on the path,
some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on good, rich soil.
O Jesus Christ, sow your Word in our hearts, that we may produce a hundredfold. Alleluia!
Reading James 5:7-10
Be patient, brothers and sisters,
until the coming of the Lord.
See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth,
being patient with it
until it receives the early and the late rains.
Responsory
R. Prepare your work outdoors, and till the soil; *that you may have life and share with the poor. V. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise, and give thanks to the Most High; that you may have life and share with the poor.
V. Glory to the ABBA, and the WORD, and the Holy BREATH of Life.
Gospel Canticle
Antiphon
As he plowed the fields, Isidore prayed with the angels.
He was gentle with the animals and generous to the poor. Alleluia!
Canticle of Zachary– Luke 1:68-79
It is customary to make the sign of the cross at the beginning of the Gospel Canticle.
Blessed + be Adonai, the God of Israel,
Who visits this people to set us free
Raising for us a sign of salvation
In the house and family of David.
God promised throughout past ages
In words of holy prophets
To save us from our enemies,
And from the control of our oppressors.
Adonai favored our ancestors
And remembered the sacred covenant.
The pledge to Abraham and Sarah
Is now renewed for us;
That freed from the grip of our foes
We might worship without fear
And be both just and holy
For the rest of our days.
And you, child, called “prophet of the Most High,”
Will go ahead to prepare the way,
By teaching this people of salvation
Through forgiveness of their sins.
For the loving compassion of the Holy One
As the Rising Sun will shine upon us
To illumine the darkness and dispel death’s shadow
To guide our feet on the way of peace.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
and to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
As he plowed the fields, Isidore prayed with the angels.
He was gentle with the animals and generous to the poor. Alleluia!
Litany of Intercession
For farmers sowing seed and raising livestock, and for their gentle care for the land that provides food for the world, ~ Kyrie eleison.
For subsistence farmers vulnerable to climate change or to market variations, ~ Christe eleison.
For children who go to bed hungry at night, and for parents who cannot find them food,
~ Kyrie eleison.
For communities hungry because of flood, fire or drought, and for the organizations and individuals who struggle to provide for them,~ Christe eleison.
For soup kitchens, food banks and aid agencies,
and for the donors, volunteers and staff who help to feed the hungry, ~ Kyrie eleison.
For struggling communities, where fresh food is expensive and in short supply,
and for affluent communities facing the diseases of excess consumption, ~ Christe eleison.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Dear Abba …
Closing Prayer
O Wondrous Love, Holy Source of all that is, we praise you on this special feastday remembering the life and the legends of St. Isidore the Farmer. May his example of praying while working the fields, kindness to animals and generosity to the poor inspire us to live and work in harmony with all creation so that Mother Earth may be fruitful and all creatures may flourish with the fullness of life. ~ Amen.
Blessing the Four Directions
Facing the east.
May God the Creator and Sustainer of all + bless the pastures and meadows, all growing grass and green fields. ~ Amen.
Facing the south.
P. May the soil + be healthy and the crops wholesome and good . ~ Amen.
Facing the west.
P. May the weather + be favorable and all workers of good heart. ~ Amen.
Facing the north.
P. May God who gives breath and life to the sower + multiply the seed sown and increase its fruits. ~ Amen.
Let us bless Adonai, Alleluia, Alleluia!
~Thanks be to God, Alleluia, Alleluia!