Bishop (ca. 520-589)
His life
+ Saint David (who is also known as Dewi) was born in South Wales. His mother was Saint Non and, according to the earliest account of his life, he was “full of grace and lovely to behold.”
+ After being ordained a priest, he returned further training in the spiritual life from the Welsh Saint Paulinus.
+ David is credited with building twelve monasteries and David later settled at Mynyw (now. St. David’s), his most important foundation. He and his monks lived lives of great austerity: manual labor was required of all the monks, they could not speak without necessity, and subsisted on bread, vegetables, salt, and water. This latter discipline earned David the nickname “Aquaticus” (the “water drinker”).
+ David was consecrated bishop near the end of his life and he has been celebrated as “the great ornament and example of his age.”
+ Saint David of Wales died around the year 589 and his name is included in the earliest lists of British and Irish lists of saints. His commemoration is also celebrated by Orthodox Christians and in the Anglican and Lutheran communions.
For prayer and reflection
“Lord, my allotted portion and my cup,
you have made my destiny secure.
Pleasant places were measured out for me;
fair to me indeed is my inheritance.”—Psalm 16:5-6
Spiritual bonus
On this day we also remember the Patriarch Seth, the youngest son of Adam and Eve. Although the Book of Genesis on mentions Seth as the “substitute” son given to our first parents after the murder of Abel, later Jewish tradition and mystical writings present Abel as a virtuous man who understood what was required to resist the powers of evil.
Prayer
Almighty God, you called your servant David to be a faithful and wise steward of your mysteries for the people of Wales: Mercifully grant that, following his purity of life and zeal for the Gospel of Christ, we may with him receive our heavenly reward; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(Collect used by the Episcopal Church for the commemoration of Saint David of Wales)
Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.
And today we celebrate...