Two Kinds of People
Essentially, there are two kinds of people, because there are two kinds
of love. One is holy the other is selfish. One is subject to God; the
other
endeavors to equal him.
One is friendly; the other is envious. One wishes for the neighbor what it
would wish for itself;
the other wishes to subject the neighbor to itself. One guides the
neighbor
in the interests of the
neighbor's good; the other guides the neighbor for its own interests.
- The Literal Meaning of Genesis 11, 15
Prayer. Lord, you are delightful food for the pure of heart.
- Confessions 13, 21 St.Augustine
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April 3rd - St. Fare, OSB Abbess V (RM)
(Also known as Burgundofara, Fara)
Born near Meaux; died at Faremoutiers in Brie, France, on April 3, c.
655-657. Sister of Saint Cagnoald, Saint Faro, and Agnetrudis, Fare had
been
blessed by Saint Columbanus in her infancy during his stay with the family
on his way into exile from Luxeuil. Some chroniclers say she was 10 or 15
at
the time Columbanus consecrated her to God in a particular manner. She
developed a religious vocation early in spite of the fierce opposition of
her father, Count Agneric, one of the principal courtiers of King
Theodebert
II. He arranged an honorable match for his daughter, which so upset her
that
she became mortally ill. Still Agneric demanded that she marry.
When Saint Eustace was returning to the court with her brother Cagnoald
from
his embassy to Columbanus, he stayed in the home of Agneric. Fare
disclosed
to him her vocation. Eustace told her father that Fare was deathly ill
because he opposed her pious inclinations. The saintly man prostrated
himself for a time in prayer, rose, and made the sign of the cross upon
Fare's eyes. Immediately her health was restored.
Eustace asked her mother, Leodegonda, to prepare Fare to receive the veil
when he returned to court. As soon as the saint left, Agneric again began
to
harass his daughter. She sought sanctuary in the church when he threatened
to kill her if she did not comply with his wishes. Eustace returned and
reconciled father and daughter. He then arranged for Fare to be professed
before Bishop Gondoald of Meaux in 614.
A year or two later, Fare convinced her father to build her a double
monastery, originally named Brige (Brie, which is Celtic for "bridge") or
Evoriacum, now called Faremoutiers (Fare's monastery). The chronicler
Jonas,
a monk in that abbey, wrote about many of the holy people he knew there,
including Saint Cagnoald and Saint Walbert.
Although Fare was still very young, she was appointed its first abbess and
governed the monastery under the Rule of Saint Columbanus for 37 years.
The
rule was severe. The use of wine and milk was forbidden (at least during
penitential seasons). The inhabitants confessed three times each day to
encourage a habitual watchfulness for the attainment of purity of heart.
Masses were said daily in the monastery for 30 days for the soul of those
religious who died.
Fare was apparently an excellent directress of souls. Many English
princess-nuns and nun-saints were trained under her, including Saints
Gibitrudis, Sethrida, Ethelburga, Ercongotha, Hildelid, Sisetrudis,
Hercantrudis, and others. Once when her younger brother, Saint Faro, was
visiting, he was so moved by her heavenly discourses that he resigned the
great offices which he held at court, persuaded his fiancé to become a
nun,
and took the clerical tonsure. After he succeeded Gondoald as bishop, Faro
sup****ted his sister against attempts to mitigate the severity of the
Rule.
A reference is made to Fare by Bede led long afterwards to the mistaken
idea
that she died in England; however, she died at Faremoutiers after a
painful,
lingering illness. Her will bequeathed some of her lands to her siblings,
but the rest to the monastery, includng her lands at Champeaux on which a
monastery was later erected.
Fare's relics were enshrined in 695 and many miracles were attributed to
her
intercession. Among them is the restoration of sight to Dame Charlotte le
Bret, daughter to the first president and treasurer-general of finance in
the district of Paris. At the age of seven (1602), her left eye was put
out.
She became a nun at Faremoutiers in 1609 and lost the sight in her
remaining
eye in 1617 due to an irreversible eye disease. Because she suffered
terrible pain in her eyes and the adjacent nerves, remedies were applied
to
destroy all feeling in the area. In 1622, she kissed one of the exposed
bones of Saint Fare and touched it to both eyes. She had feeling again.
Upon
repeating the action, her sight was restored-instantly and perfectly.
Physicians and witnesses testified in writing to her state before and
after
this miracle, which was certified as such by Bishop John de Vieupont of
Meaux on December 9, 1622.
The affidavit of the abbess, Frances de la Chastre, and the community also
mentioned two other miraculous cures of palsy and rheumatism. Other
miracles
wrought at the intercession of Saint Fare are recorded by Carcat and du
Plessis (Attwater, Attwater2, Benedictines, Delaney, Encyclopedia,
Husenbeth).
Saint Fare is depicted in art as an abbess with an ear of corn. Sometimes
she may be shown in the scene where Saint Columbanus blesses a child
(Roeder). She is honored especially in France and Sicily (Husenbeth).
Saint Quote:
Do not be dismayed by toil or suffering, nor by the meager fruit of your
labours. Remember that God rewards not according to results, but effort.
--Blessed Zefirino Agostini
Bible Quote:
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him. (St. John
6:44)
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Jesus! my Lord, my God, my All! How can I love Thee as I
ought? And how revere this wondrous gift, So far surpassing
hope or thought? Had I but Mary's sinless heart To love Thee
with, my dearest King! O, with what bursts of fervent praise
Thy goodness, Jesus, would I sing! Sweet Sacrament! We
Thee adore! O, make us love Thee more and more!
F. Faber: Corpus Christi. (19th cent.)
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SELF-OFFERING TO THE TRINITY
(St. Therese of Lisieux)
O My God, in order that I may be a living act of
perfect love, I offer myself as a whole burnt
offering to your tender love.
Consume me continually, letting my soul overflow
with the floods of infinite tenderness that are found
in you, so that I may become a martyr of your love.
Let this martyrdom make me ready to appear before
you and at last cause me to expire.
Let my soul cast itself without delay into the everlasting
arms of your merciful love.
O my beloved, with every beat of my heart I desire to
renew this offering an infinite number of times, until that
day when the shadows shall vanish and I shall be able
to retell my love in an internal face-to-face with you.
Amen.
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