1st March 2025
Saint Paul says “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” This is the basis of every Christian life – and regarding everything else as having little or no worth follows from that. What we know about Saint David certainly reflects this approach to the Christian life. Of course what is known about Saint David is now embroidered in legendary form, but at the heart of his strength and his obviously heroic Christian life was his faith, and the evidence of that faith was a spirit of conversion called for by Christ in the Gospels.
David of Wales was an abbot-bishop of the 6th century. His desire to do the Divine Will caused him to turn away from this worlds values and to fearlessly proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the people of Wales. There seems little doubt that Saint David gave an heroic example in defending the Catholic faith. His courageous example was an inspiration to the people in his care – even when they had to physically defend themselves against pagan invaders from what is now England.
Today Christians are persecuted in many parts of the world, and in our society it can feel that we are under threat from something akin to pagan invaders. As in the past these new invaders try to destroy the Christian way of life. Faith and moral teaching are rejected and ridiculed. Have no doubt that human life at its beginnings and at its end is under threat. And as freedom of expression is curtailed misleading half-truths deceive many. The heroes of our faith, through whom the light of Christ’s truth shines – help us to hope and trust in the Lord.
The heroic Christians of Saint David’s time have given us an example of discipline and fortitude that should not be ignored. The methods of those holy people may seem extreme – particularly in regard to personal privations – but they were fighting against sinful human nature with a single minded endeavour. They did this so as to be open to the life of grace. This is the conversion of life which is essential if faith is to have meaning.
Were we restricted to hard manual labour and a diet of bread, vegetables and water, most of us would perhaps find little reason to rejoice. Yet joy is what David urged on his brothers as he lay dying. Perhaps he could say that to them – and to us – because he lived simply and nurtured a constant awareness of the Divine presence. For it has been said, “Joy is the infallible sign of God’s presence.” May his intercession bless us with the same awareness!
