- 1 Peter 1:24-25 -
For,
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that
was
preached to you.
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Quoting Isaiah 40:6-8, Peter reminds believers that everything in this
life - possessions, accomplishments, people - will eventually fade away
and
disappear. Only God's will, Word, and work are permanent. We must stop
grasping the tem****ary, and begin focusing our time, money and energy on
the
permanent - the Word of God and our eternal life in Christ.
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January 25th - St. Dwynwen, Virgin of Llandwyn, Wales
(Also known as Donwen, Donwenna, Dunwen, Dwyn)
Died c. 460. A Welsh saint of the family of Saint Brychan of Brecknock
(f.d.
April 6), Dwynwen coined the maxim, "nothing wins hearts like
cheerfulness."
She settled in Anglesey, where the places names Llanddwyn and ****thdwyn
recall her memory.
Her church there was the destination of the sick and especially young men
and women because she is the patron of Welsh lovers. Baring-Gould explains
the reason for her patronage in "The Golden Legend." Maelon wished to
marry
Dwynwen but she rejected him and prayed to be delivered. She dreamed that
she was given a drink that cured her, but the drink turned Maelon to ice.
Then she made three requests: that Maelon be defrosted, that all
true-hearted lovers should either succeed in their quest or else be cured
of
their passion, and that she should never wish to be married. Accordingly,
she became a nun.
In the Middle Ages Llanddwyn was a rich church due to the offerings left
at
the shrine and holy well by pilgrims. The movement of the fish in the holy
well was believed to indicate the destiny of those who consulted it. This
superstitious practice and the invocation of Dwynwen to cure sick animals
survived the Reformation, probably because of its relative isolation.
Churches dedicated to her are to be found in Wales and Cornwall
(Benedictines, Farmer).
Another Life, from Dwynwen East
http://www.orthodox.clara.net/llanddwyn.htm
St. Dwynwen of Llanddwyn
Llanddwyn Island.
Llan originally meant a clearing or a piece of consecrated ground,
possibly
with a monastic cell on it. Later Llan came to mean a church and the part
that follows is usually the saint's name to whom the church was
dedicated:-
Llanfichangel - after Mihangel - Michael the Archangel. Llanbedr - after
Pedr - Peter.
Such place names became numerous and were later added to by some
territorial
description, for example, Llangefni means the church on the river Cefni.
Llanddwyn Island, North Wales, is technically a peninsula cut off from the
Isle of Anglesey occasionally by high tides at certain times of the year.
Access is by foot through Newborough Warren dunes or along the mile and a
half of beach known as Llanddwyn beach. On a clear day the Snowdonia
mountain range on the mainland is clearly seen across the straits. The
island forms part of the National Nature reserve. Wild flowers, sea
birdsand
seals live on and around the island. Rare old breeds of Soay and Jacob's
sheep graze in an enclosure.
The old lighthouse dates from 1926 and a lifeboat station was also manned
but both are now disused. The pilots' cottages still stand and one of
these
has been refurbished to appear as it would have been in 1900 when
inhabited.
Another cottage holds an exhibition of wildlife to be found on the island
and this exhibition includes the history of 'Dwyn the Pure'.
St. Dwynwen was one of the 24 beautiful daughters of Brychan, a 5th
century
prince, and her chapel became a popular place of pilgrimage after her
death
in AD465. The ruins of a Tudor church which was built on the site of the
original priory can still be seen. The modern Celtic cross on the island
commemorates all who are buried thereabouts. The Latin cross is dedicated
to
St. Dwynwen who founded the convent there.
Dwynwen is the patron saint of Welsh lovers. Star struck lovers would seek
to discover their fortune by watching the movement of an eel in the
island's
freshwater spring. Diwrnod Santes Dwynwen - St. Dwynwen's Day, Jan 25th,
is
steeped in Welsh tradition and folklore. Festivities mark the occasion in
Wales every year.
This is a place of pilgrimage for me and has been for almost 50 years; a
very special place of peace and prayerfulness. It is inaccessible by car
(unless you happen to be the warden in a landrover) and it therefore
continues to be completely unspoilt. You will find no toilet or cafe here.
One can wander round the cliff paths, visit Dwynwen's well on the North
side
of the island, or relax on one of the many sandy beaches amid the rocky
outcrops, watch the seals, and listen to the sounds of nature. I thank God
that such places are still to be found away from the busy, noisy life of
this automated age.
a photograph of Llanddwyd
http://www.orthodox.clara.net/home.htm
Saint Quote:
Not only do we not know God except through Jesus Christ; We do not even
know
ourselves except through Jesus Christ.
- Blaise Pascal
Bible Quote:
Woe to you that now laugh; for you shall mourn and weep.(St. Luke 6:25)
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A Morning Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Christ
Dear Lord, I adore Your Sacred Heart, which I desire to enter
with acts of love, praise, adoration and thanksgiving. I offer
You my own heart as I sigh to You from its very depths,
asking that You will work through me in all that I do this day;
thus may I draw You closer to me each day. I offer You all the
crosses and sufferings of the world, in union with Your life on
earth, in expiation for sins. Please join my every action and
heartbeat to the pulsations of Your Heart. I unite all my works
of this day to those labors You performed while You were on
earth, bathing them in Your precious Blood, and I offer them
to the Heavenly Father so that many souls may be saved. - Amen.
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