Pictured above: San Isidro, the patron saint of Madrid, and his wife, Santa Maria de la Cabeza — at the Church of San Isidro el Real in Madrid. 

As a youth at Menlo Church in the San Francisco Bay Area, I joined a mission trip to the Hoopa Tribal Lands in remote northern California near the Oregon border. We connected with the native community through various activities, but one sweltering summer day stood out: we cleared an overgrown cemetery, battling wild vines and poison ivy to restore the tombstones. It felt like grunt work—less meaningful than sharing about Jesus or learning local customs—and I underestimated its impact. The Hoopa people were deeply moved; our labor allowed them to reconnect with the graves of loved ones, earning us heartfelt hugs and honor for the sweaty task.

This experience reminds me of Saint Isidore the Laborer, who is celebrated today, May 15, during Madrid’s vibrant festivals, processions, and blessings of fields. Born around 1070 in Spain, Isidore lived a humble life, toiling in fields for landowner Juan de Vargas. Despite his poverty, he became renowned for sharing what little he had with those in need. His life embodied the dignity of manual labor and the integration of faith into daily work, finding joy in simple service, just as our cemetery cleanup brought unexpected joy to the Hoopa community.

Isidore’s story resonates deeply. Like our unassuming act of clearing overgrowth, his ordinary labor—cutting weeds, tending fields—became extraordinary through his generosity and faith. He had no fancy degrees or symbols of prestige, yet Madrid honors him with parades because he taught the joy of humility and the value of working the earth. Both Isidore and our Hoopa experience reveal a profound truth: God often uses humble, dirt-under-the-nails work to cultivate connection, healing, and gratitude.

Today, as we remember San Isidro, let’s embrace our own call to live out faith in the everyday—in fields or wherever we labor—serving others with the same quiet, transformative love.

Pastor George Cladis
GeorgeC@Highrock.org