Today is the feast of St. Germaine Cousin (1579-1601). Sweet little farmer's daughter, Germaine had a loving mother she lost while she was still a toddler. Her father's new wife actively favored her own children and treated Germaine like a servant . . . or even as if she didn't exist. She slept in the stable, ate scraps, and was sent out as a shepherdess in their fields as soon as it was possible.
But God delighted in her. As she worked cheerfully in the pastures, God showed her directly all she needed to know. She was preoccupied with God to a great degree, and lived always in His presence.
She was a daily Mass goer and took Communion as often as she was able. She was not social, but I take her more as an introvert than specifically shy, although I don't know. She certainly did her work alone, so some of it might be environmentally determined, but I think some of it was just her personality. She had no fear of teaching young children their catechism and leading them to God. She would leave her little flock in the care of her guardian angel, plant her little crook in the ground, and walk to church. She never lost a single sheep, even though there were wolves in the neighboring forest of Boucone. One day the stream she had to ford was swollen with rain and everyone feared she wouldn't make it; but two villagers testified they saw the waters part like the Red Sea as for Moses and she walked through easily.
Other miracles attended her; notably the multiplication of loaves, for she always shared her meager meals with beggars, even though it seemed there was not nearly enough for all. Once her evil stepmother chased her with a stick, claiming she'd stolen the food in her apron . . . but when she dramatically ran to the villagers and in their presence turned to face her pursuer, summer wildflowers fell out instead of the bread that had been there just moments before. Her family then had a change of heart and welcomed her back to their bosom, but she preferred to be on her own.
Her last attending miracle happened 43 years after her death, or at least that's when it was first noticed. A distant relative named Edualde had died and wished to be buried beside her. The flagstone was removed from over her tomb, and there she was: a perfectly preserved 22-year-old girl, who even bled when the startled gravedigger dropped his shovel on her nose! Her body was positively identified by townspeople who had known her in life by her uniquely withered right arm and a scar on her neck. She was moved to the village church and her cause presented. Unfortunately, her body was almost totally destroyed (on purpose) during the French Revolution, but two bones were rescued and are honored in her church. She was raised to the altars in 1867.
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