Well, finishing the sermon was easier said than done. We got back from Worcester just after eight, and it was half past midnight before I turned in. Then I had a new idea while I was eating breakfast, and had enough time for a final edit and print before driving out in bright sunshine to Llandough for the first Eucharist of the day at the Parish Church of St Dochdwy, on the Western ridge above Cardiff Bay. Dochdwy is one of our local Celtic saints of the 5th-6th century.
The mid 19th century church sits on 12th century foundations in an ancient Llan, more oval than circular as sections of this ancient circular enclosure of a sacred place have been trimmed off with the passage of centuries. The interior walls are clad with attractive reddish pink bricks decorated with large crosses in yellow and black brick, imitating the interior design of William Butterfield, who was at the same period building St Augustine's in neighbouring Penarth Parish. Lit by bright morning sun, it looked quite enchanting.
Standing a little way from the south west corner of the building is the three metre high stone shaft carved with celtic patterns of the 10th - 11th century, remains of a celtic Cross, with the name IRBIC inscribed on it. Some historians have speculated that the size of the head of a celtic cross in the same Ogmore sandstone found in Llandaff Cathedral could be what once stood on this shaft. Imagine - if this could be scientifically proved to be true - how many decades of argument would follow on the subject of re-uniting them, and where it should be located?
The twenty strong congregation was friendly and welcoming. Afterwards I had to decline their offer of a cup of tea and a chat, as I had to make my way across to Adamsdown on the A4232 ring road section crossing the Bay to arrive on time for the 11.00am Solemn Mass at St German's, where a congregation of thirty was waiting for me in another enchanting sunlit building four times the size of Eglwys Dochdwy. I got hardly any feedback on the sermon in both places, apart from "Nice to hear someone different for a change." Well, I should be grateful nobody walked out, I suppose, with attendances compensating with commitment for lack of numbers. The sermon's here to read, if you want to see where yesterday's musing led me.
Lunch was hot and on the table when I arrived home - venison stew lovingly prepared by Clare with fresh green vegetables - very tasty. I hunted the afternoon TV news channels to find out if there was any resolution of the unfinished conflict in Libya, but all attention was on the Ground Zero commemoration in NYC. It seemed quite bizarre that BBC One was showing the Monza F1 GP race, with all its minor skirmishes for position, seemingly oblivious of the sombre mood elsewhere. But then channel hopping always seems a bit surreal to me. It was a relief to return to sunny St German's for a single focussed happy hour of Solemn Evensong and Benediction, as a prelude to a quiet evening of Sunday relaxation, grateful for the peace and safety we enjoy, the cost notwithstanding.
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