The Angelus
Growing up in a farming community, harvest season was a big deal. It was joyful when the harvest was plenty, there was fair weather, and all was going well. It was busy with long hours put in, trying to beat the cold weather but optimize the growth. It was a moment of relief seeing how the work that the farmers had put in all year long was finally realized. It was a time of thanksgiving for how God had provided yet again, never forgetting those who labor for others.
I delight when Scripture readings come up that talk about labor and farming. It feels close to my heart and something that not everyone has the privilege to understand. In our highly advanced world, the beauty, trust, and faith that goes into farming and working with your hands is not widely understood. Hearing them makes me think of those who are at home and makes me feel closer to God.
It also makes me think of “The Angelus” by Jean-Francois Millet. This painting is a staple in rural, farming Christian homes and for good reason. Two peasants are bowing in a field, taking a break from their work to say the Angelus. The church which must be ringing its bells can be seen on the horizon, marking this time of prayer and the end of the work day. This was during potato harvest in Barbizon, a small town in northern France. The man shows his devotion to this prayer, the Blessed Virgin, and Christ by taking his hat off, holding it to his chest. The woman clasps her hands together, trusting in the words in which she recites.
“I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.” - Philippians 1:23-24
These peasant farmers in this painting underwent back breaking work to harvest their crops. These crops were not just for cash, they were for sustenance. Their entire livelihood was based on what the Lord provided and allowed to grow year after year. This type of trust and faith for God’s providence and care would be tremendous, sometimes even more than we could possibly fathom today.
In moments when great trust in the Lord is needed, it makes sense to desire to depart and be with Him. It is better to be in heaven than to be on earth, but the Lord calls us to this place and time for a reason. In the labor there is joy. There is busyness. There is relief when it is finally over. But there is also thanksgiving in recognition of Christ’s work. He brings us into the co-creation and tending care for the world that He has given us.
Let us take a moment to thank Our Good Lord for the work which He invites us into and the great harvest that we are to gather for Him alone. Let us see His generosity in how our labor purifies us and is necessary for His salvific work.
Written by Madeline Larson
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