Thought for the Week by Rev’d Vicci

Friends

Happy St. David’s Day!  St. David’s day on the 1st of March marks the day when St. David is believed to have died in the year 589.  Davdi, the patron saint of Wales, was a bishop and missionary who founded numerous monasteries, including one at Mynyw (St. David’s), the smallest city in Britain.  Known for a simple lifestyle, he was also reputedly a great worker of miracles, including making the ground rise beneath him allowing those at the back to hear, as he preached before a large crowd in Llanddewi Brefi.

He is known for the maxim “Do the little things in life” which is good advice for us still.  For a lot of us in the churches, aware that our numbers are dwindling and that faith seems to be dying out, it is tempting to think that we should try to do big and grand things, but St. David’s idea was that in doing the little things well, we witness greatly to God, as well as honouring the work that he has laid before each of us. 

St David was a vegan, with he and his monks reputedly living off leeks and water, and ploughing their land themselves, rather than using oxen.  The medical folks among my readers may want to wonder just how true this is – is there really enough nutritional value in leeks and water to survive?  However, this was not the reason that we associate leeks with Wales. Leeks are linked to the 7th century King Cadwaladr who ordered soldiers to wear them on their armour to distinguish themselves from their enemies, and for centuries it was the national symbol.  However in the 19th and 20th centuries, the daffodil (also known as Peter’s leek in Welsh) became a popular alternative, especially as it bloomed around St. David’s day.

David’s last words to his followers were: Be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do. 

Please don’t try and live on a diet of leeks and water – I am convinced that it would be extremely unhealthy – but the ideas of being joyful, keeping the faith and doing the little things well are remarkably similar to some of the things that the apostle Paul said.  Even now nearly 1500 years after David’s death, they seem like a good idea.  

God bless, Vicci