St Germaine

Yesterday was the feast of St. Germaine. I have loved her since I was a little girl.

Her life reads like a fairy tale. Charming stories circle around her life, like when her Guardian Angel would promise to watch the sheep she needed to take care of while she went to Mass each morning. When she came out, all her sheep were peacefully grazing around her shepherdess crook.

But like all fairy tales this one had a wicked step mother. And unfortunately, this step mother was real.

Germaine's father had remarried when Germaine was a girl. Germaine was not pretty. She also had a deformed hand. The new step mother found her repugnant, so she made her go live in the barn away from her other children. Her father said nothing. The step mother was also erratic and volatile. Germaine never knew when she woke up in the morning what she would do to her. When you think about the reality of that - waking up in fear and anxiety each morning wondering if you would be beaten or if there would be a reprieve. Waking up knowing your father would not protect you but just walk by the barn where you had been sent. Not even being worth his time or attention. That is what Germaine had to suffer every day. As providence would have it, Germaine was born with a sensitive, sweet nature, which made that suffering so much the harder. But somehow she turned it all to peace. She lived in peace.

The school children who saw her dressed in rags with her withered hand, made fun of her and did not want to come near her. But she was so sweet, so kind, that the littlest children of her village would slowly start stopping by her barn to say hello. And she started teaching them about the Good God. They saw the peace, the sweetness, the welcome. Little Children can sense authenticity.

She also fed beggars who heard about her barn. One day a beggar came to see her and asked for bread. She had none, but he was so pathetic, she braved the path to her father's house and took some bread off the counter to give to the beggar. Her step mother saw her and beat her with a stick, demanding she open her apron where the bread was. As she did so, beautiful flowers spilled. out.

The townspeople began to wonder about her. That little, ugly girl who lived in the barn on the hill. Her family finally asked if she wanted to come back in the house to live. But she said no. The barn was her home with God.

Then very quietly one morning she died on the straw near the cows and horses. She peacefully went home to her Father.

Germaine is one of the best examples to me of the image of being formed into Christ through suffering. She did not resist His lessons, his will for her. And she became sweet clay in His hands. I am awed by saints like this. Meek - and strong in their meekness.

She is such a lovely saint. Saint Germaine, pray for us!