Stained glass of St. David at Castell Coch (the Red Castle), near Cardiff, Wales, UK
On Saturday, March 1st, the universal Church honored St. David of Wales. He is the patron saint of Wales and is a very famous British saint. Nevertheless, the sources indicate that we do not have much reliable and verifiable information on him.
However, we do know that David became a priest, engaging in missionary activities, finding monasteries with his main monastery being in southwestern Wales. These monks served Our Lord through austerity and silence. Their diet consisted of bread, vegetables and water.
In 550 A.D., Father David attended a synod. His fellow monks gained great respect and confidence in him, because he spoke with earnestness and truthful eloquence. Accordingly, they chose Father David to be the primate of the region, wherein the episcopal see was moved to Mynyw, the location of his monastery (now called St. David’s). He governed his diocese until he was very old and his last words were: “Be joyful, brothers and sisters. Keep your faith, and do the little things that you have seen and heard with me.”
In art, St. David is shown standing on a mound with a dove on his shoulder, indicating that once while he was preaching, a dove settled upon his shoulder and the earth rose lifting him high above the people so that his words could be heard high and low.
Before the Reformation, over 50 churches in South Wales were dedicated to him.
Clearly, St. David was a tough, disciplined, focused and wonderful leader. He did not forget about the value of sacrifice, and in that process of sacrifice, to prioritize love of God first above all things. He made sure that the monks and priests lived a life of austerity so that God would always be first in their lives. And what is important is that he found joy in little things, and in all things that are holy, where God comes first, in work that is noble and the sharing of faith that is noble.
We admire you St. David! Please pray for us.
With respect and love,
Joan
Source: Franciscan Media
