Richard of Wyche 3 April, Bishop

Day by day
Day by day
Oh dear Lord
These things I pray

To see thee more clearly
Love thee more dearly
Follow thee more nearly
Day by day by day by day-ay

Most of us have probably heard this song, one time or another but do you know the  words come from a 13th Century Bishop?

In 1197, Richard of Wyche was born in Droitwyche, England. He was orphaned at an  early age, and had his family inheritance squandered by a feckless guardian. He  eventually restored the family property, and turned it over to his younger brother to  enter scholastic studies and the Church.

In 1244 he was elected Bishop of Chichester, but the King at that time (named Henry)  did not want to recognize his election.  This was so King Henry could keep the funds  normally allocated to the Church in Chichester for himself.  Finding himself locked  out of the bishop's residence, Richard found shelter with a simple village priest,  and spent the next two years walking all around his diocese, preaching to his flock,  that consisted of simple farmers, fishermen and villagers. It is said that Bp. Richard  walked barefoot among the people, and he spent his time correcting many abuses and  laxity that had crept into the Church.

Finally, after a couple of years, King Henry was recognized Richard as Bishop, but  the amazing thing is, Richard continued to live the simple life that he had been doing. He is sometimes depicted in art as a bishop with a chalice on its side at his feet because he once dropped the chalice during a Mass and nothing is said to have spilled from it.

He wrote this prayer that is the basis of the above song lyrics Day by Day in the musical Godspell:

Thanks be to Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits Thou hast given me, for  all the pains and insults Thou hast borne for me. O most merciful Redeemer, Friend and  Brother, may I know Thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly and follow thee more  nearly, day by day.

He died of a fever in 1253, having lived a life of simplicity, he was a well known and loved Bishop, and shepherd of the Church.  He could have been well to do, he could have lived in considerable luxury for the time, but he set all that aside to be closer to Christ, day by day.

So today we pray:

We thank you, Lord God, for all the benefits you have given us in Your Son Jesus  Christ, our most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother, and for all the pains and  insults He has borne for us; and we pray that, following the example of Your saintly  bishop Richard of Chichester, we may see Christ more clearly, love Him more dearly,  and follow Him more nearly; Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now  and for ever.

Comments

[Paul Shepson OSB]

Wonderful cultural lesson! Our religious and monastic heritage has donated quite a bit to our work-a-day prophets, the song writers of today.
Now, if we can only hear every modern love song as directed towards God!

--Brother Paul
St. Augustine's in the Mountains

[karen]

really cool.

[Monk-in-Training]

Fevers were very common and before antibiotics,most people died with the severe ones.

[Bryan]

Really nice meditation Terry. I noticed that James Kiefer has a nice reflection as well.
http://www.missionstclare.com/english/April/whole/morning_pda/03m.pdf

I wonder what kind of fever would have taken his life?

Pax.

[kyle]

Most cool. I remember a song with those lines but had no idea of their history. You amaze me brother!