大象传媒

The first in a special series of prayers marking St David 900. Today's reflection and prayer comes from Jerusalem with the Very Revd Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, Dean of St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire.

Good morning. Next Wednesday is St Davids Day. 900 years ago, his international significance was recognized by the then Pope, Callixtus II.

We shall be celebrating St David, Dewi Sant, and this anniversary, throughout the coming week, with prayers from various places associated with him, according to later accounts of his life.

I鈥檓 recording this in Jerusalem, which, according to some, St David may have visited, in the sixth century, and where he met the Patriarch who made him Archbishop of the Britons.

We have no way of knowing whether he made the journey or not 鈥� though we know that pilgrims from Britain were certainly travelling to the Holy Land from the fourth century onwards.

Indeed, nearly two hundred years before St David鈥檚 supposed visit, St Jerome complained at pilgrims coming to Jerusalem from near and far. 鈥業 do not presume to limit God鈥檚 omnipotence鈥� he wrote 鈥榦r restrict to a narrow strip of earth Him whom the heavens cannot contain.鈥� He went on to say 鈥楢ccess to the courts of heaven is as easy from Britain as it is from Jerusalem for 鈥淭he kingdom of God is within you鈥�.鈥�

Lord Jesus Christ, thank your presence is not restricted, and that you are with us wherever the pilgrim journey of life leads us. Help us, like St David, to know your kingdom within us; and, as David famously taught his followers, may we also be joyful, keep the faith and be diligent in doing the little things you put before us. Amen