Tea at Trianon: Feast of the Holy Family

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Feast of the Holy Family

St. Joseph most obedient.

Look closely at the obedience of Saint Joseph, his obedience in the dark night of faith. Joseph’s obedience allows the whole mystery of Israel — the going down into Egypt and the back up — to be revealed and completed in Christ. In some way the “Do this in memory of me” (Lk 22:19) of the Last Supper is made possible by Joseph’s obedience to the commandments delivered to him in the night.

Faust said...: Thank you for that! It was both about one of my favorite saints and Eucharistic. (They're all my favorite, but by that I just mean affinity and affection.); December 28, 2008 at 8:16:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: I know just what you mean, Sabrina!; December 28, 2008 at 8:51:00 AM EST
Anonymous said...: My priest's sermon this morning was about the faithfulness of St. Joseph. His life shows us how important it is to be obedient despite never seeing the fruits of the obedience; St. Joseph was not there to see the ministry or the miracles of our Lord. But he was there, in the beginning, a model of faithfulness.

A belated Merry Christmas to you and your family, EMV!

Love,
Juliana; December 28, 2008 at 5:04:00 PM EST
elena maria vidal said...: Merry Christmas to you, Juliana!; December 28, 2008 at 6:00:00 PM EST
the booklady said...: St. Joseph was a quiet, behind-the-scenes saint, who was yet still a vital part of God's plan. Beautiful post! Merry Christmas and New Year's blessings to you and yours!; December 29, 2008 at 2:02:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: Thank you and Merry Christmas to you!; December 29, 2008 at 9:09:00 AM EST