Day Sixty- 3/1/11 Celebrate The Feast of St. David of Wales with Soup, Song, and Going Sans-Meat

Day Sixty: 3/1/11
New Thing: Celebrate The Feast of St. David of Wales with Soup, Song, and Going Sans-Meat           
Inspiration: St. David, Bishop of Menevia, Wales, c.544
Cost: $0   
Time: All Day     
Bottom Line: You don't have to be Welsh to love a good bowl of soup.

Reflection: Today is the Feast Day of St. David the Patron Saint of Wales. According to James Kiefer,

When the pagan Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain in the fifth and sixth centuries, many British Christians sought refuge in the hill country of Wales. There they developed a style of Christian life devoted to learning, asceticism, and missionary fervor. Since there were no cities, the centers of culture were the monasteries, and most abbots were bishops as well. Dewi (David in English) was the founder, abbot, and bishop of the monastery of Mynyw (Menevia in English) in Pembrokeshire. He was responsible for much of the spread of Christianity in Wales, and his monastery was sought out by many scholars from Ireland and elsewhere. He is commonly accounted the apostle of Wales, as Patrick is of Ireland. 

David is associate with many things including a dove (which is his symbol), daffodils and leeks (the national symbols of Wales) and vegetarianism. He believed that the life of the monk should be very austere and so those who lived with him ate only bread, broth, and water. Because of this, his is considered one of the first Christian vegetarians since he held this practice for spiritual reasons.   

To honor his life and message, I decided to go on a meat fast today. I also made a yummy potato and leek soup for dinner, which is a St. David's Day custom. On top of all that, we sang a Welsh hymn (Hymn #610 Blaenhafren) at our Clergy Day afternoon Eucharist commemorating his feast day which was unknown to me, so that was a bonus St. David's Day new thing. 

Here is his Prayer: 

Almighty God, who 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 the crown of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.