Tea at Trianon: St. Francis de Sales

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

Saturday, January 24, 2009

St. Francis de Sales

Today is the feast of Saint Francis de Sales. He is a saint very close to my heart. Here is one of his best-known sayings:

Do not look forward to the mishaps of this life with anxiety, but await them with perfect confidence so that when they do occur, God, to whom you belong, will deliver you from them. He has kept you up to the present; remain securely in the hand of his providence, and he will help you in all situations. When you cannot walk, he will carry you. Do not think about what will happen tomorrow, for the same eternal Father who takes care of you today will look out for you tomorrow and always. Either he will keep you from evil or he will give you invincible courage to endure it. Remain in peace; rid your imagination of whatever troubles you.

Fr. Mark writes on confidence and peace according to St. Francis de Sales.

God never changes. God is worthy of all our confidence. That “blessed assurance” is, ultimately, the only remedy for the anxiety that at certain hours torments even the most phlegmatic among us. Saint Francis de Sales invites us to let go of the false security of the anxieties that have become so dear, and to surrender in peaceful confidence to the “blessed assurance” of the Love of God. Confiance et paix.

Anonymous said...: Elena...what a beautiful reflection! How providential in light of the current situation in our country...Theresa; January 24, 2009 at 7:52:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: Yes, we need to have confidence in God and not in material wealth that comes and goes........; January 24, 2009 at 2:12:00 PM EST
Lucy said...: This reminds me of something my cousin told me recently when I told her about how I worried about a certain issue. She told me that I should stop worrying and think of how insulting 'worrying' is to God...I don't know if she heard this somewhere or if she made it up, regardless; It now always makes me reflect and think 'how dare I be so untrusting and think it's all up to me'.; January 24, 2009 at 2:18:00 PM EST
Anonymous said...: I have always struggled with anxiety, to the point where I don't sleep but a couple of hours a night for several days in a row. I would become overwhelmed by worrying about everything (current problems and potential problems). These quotes are wonderful! I need to read more of this wonderful saint's writings!

Thank you for this post,
Juliana; January 25, 2009 at 7:52:00 AM EST
elena maria vidal said...: You are welcome. St. Francis has helped me a lot, too.; January 25, 2009 at 12:38:00 PM EST