May 21st - St. Godric of Finchale, Visionary, Hermit
Born at Walpole, Norfolk, England, c. 1065; died in Finchale, County
Durham, May
21, c. 1170.
Godric was a peddler who travelled extensively and, like Saint Brendan,
was
eventually attracted to the sea for 16 years. He managed to purchase part
owner****p in several ****ps and even to captain one. One historian
indicates that
he may be the Gudericus Pirata who carried Baldwain to Jaffa in 1102. In
short,
his life was not always a holy one. Having experienced many difficulties
at sea,
Godric was forever troubled on stormy nights for ****ps at sea, even when
he
lived inland.
His conversion apparently came when he visited Lindisfarne and was touched
by an
account of the life of Saint Cuthbert. Thereafter he changed his ways. He
immediately went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where he visited the Holy
Sepulchre. Coming out of the Jordan River, and looking down at his feet,
he
vowed, "Lord, for love of Your name, Who for men's salvation walked
barefoot
through the world, and did not deny to have Your ****d feet struck through
with
nails for me: From this day I shall put no shoes upon these feet." He kept
this
vow until his death, even in the snow.
Returning to England via Santiago de Compostella, he became a house
steward
until he realized that the landowner was acting unjustly toward his poorer
neighbors. Upon resigning he went on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint
Giles
in Provence and to Rome with his mother.
In ***berland he acquired a Psalter, which became his most valued
possession,
and learned it by heart. In 1105, he sold all his goods and travelled to
Wolsingham, where he joined up with an elderly hermit named Aelric, with
whom he
spent two years. After Aelric's death, Godric made another pilgrimage to
Jerusalem, where he lived for a time with the hermits of Saint John the
Baptist
and worked in a hospital for several months.
In a vision, Saint Cuthbert promised Godric a hermitage in England, so he
returned and spent some time in Eskedale and Durham, where he acted as a
sacristan and went to school with the choirboys at Saint Mary-le-Bow. Then
he
found his hermitage in Bishop Flambard's hunting grounds on the River Wear
near
Durham.
He spent the next 60 years in the Finchale forest living an austere life
of
mortification. At first he lived on berries and roots, but later he grew
vegetables and milled and baked his own barley. He wore a hair ****rt under
a
metal breastplate. Godric built a wattle oratory and later a small stone
church
dedicated to Saint Mary. Twice he nearly died, once when he was caught in
a
flood, and once when Scottish soldiers beat him on the assumption that he
had
hidden valuables.
He lived mainly alone under the guidance of the prior of Durham, who
supplied
him with a priest to say Mass in his chapel and would send strangers to
him to
ask his advice. These visitors included SS. Aelred and Robert of
Newminster, and
the monk named Reginald who wrote the included biography. Saint Thomas à
Becket
and Pope Alexander III also sought his advice. Godric's sister Burchwen
lived
with him for a time but then became a sister in the hospital at Durham.
Godric had the gift of prophecy. He foretold the death of Bishop William
of
Durham and Saint Thomas a Becket-whom he had never met. He often saw
visions of
scenes occurring at a distance and was known to stop mid-sentence to pray
for
****ps in danger of ****pwreck.
He suffered a long illness during which the monks of Durham nursed him,
but he
died after foretelling his own death. His biographer, Reginald, recorded
four
songs that Godric said had been taught to him in visions of the Blessed
Virgin,
his dead sister, and others. They are the oldest pieces of English verse
of
which the musical settings survive, and are the oldest to show the use of
devices of rhyme and measure instead of alliteration.
Godric was remarkable for his austerities, supernatural gifts, and his
familiarity with wild animals (Benedictines, Delaney, White).
See longer version found at:
http://www.online-literature.com/charles-kingsley/the-hermits/14/
Saint Quote:
The Lord sends us tribulations and infirmities to give us the means of
paying
the immense debts we have contracted with Him. Therefore, those who have
good
sense receive them joyfully, for they think more of the good which they
may
derive from them than of the pain which they experience on account of
them.
-St. Vincent Ferrer
Bible Quote
4 I give thanks to my God, always making a remembrance of thee in my
prayers. 5
Hearing of thy charity and faith, which thou hast in the Lord Jesus, and
towards
all the saints: 6 That the communication of thy faith may be made evident
in the
acknowledgment of every good work, that is in you in Christ Jesus.
(Philemon
1:4-6)
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Night Prayers
Our Father...Hail Mary...Creed...Glory be to the Father...
Behold me at thy feet. Oh! my God I thank Thee for keeping me
safe today. I made good resolutions this morning and promised
Thee much. I am ashamed of myself when I think how badly I
have kept these promises. More than once have I saddened
Thee by my thoughtless actions. Have pity on my weakness.
Oh dear Jesus forgive my faults. I am truly sorry for them.
Help me I beseech Thee. Make me better. All I desire is to
belong to Thee. I commend my soul and my body to Thee during
my sleep. Deign to give me a good night. Holy Mary protect me.
My good Angel be near to me all this night.
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary and she conceived of the Holy
Ghost.
Hail Mary etc.
Behold the Handmaid of the Lord. May it be done unto me
according to Thy Word.
Hail Mary etc.,
And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us.
Hail Mary etc.
Pray for us Oh Holy Mother of God that we may be made worthy
of the promises of Christ. Out of the depths I have cried to Thee
Oh Lord hear my prayers. Let thy Ears be attentive to the voice
of my supplications.
If thou oh Lord will mark iniquities, Lord who shall stand?
For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness and by reason of
Thy Love, I have waited for Thee Oh Lord. My soul has relied on
His word, my soul has hoped in the Lord. From the morning
watch until night let Israel hope in the Lord. Because with the
Lord there is mercy and with Him plentiful redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Eternal rest give to him Oh Lord and let perpetual light ****ne
upon them. May they rest in Peace. Amen.
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