Good Friday, from "The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics"

Here's an excerpt from The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics; I've selected bits and pieces since the original passages are rather lengthy. Grab some tissues for this one.

[In Mary's own words] First they attatched His right hand to the beam, in which a nail hole had been prepared, and they drove the nail through His hand in the part where the bone was firmest. Then they put His other hand in the opposite direction with a rope, as it did not reach the other nail hole, and they nailed it down in the same way. Next they nailed His right foot, and over it the left, so that all the nerves and veins were torn apart and broken. Then they replaced on His holy head the crown of thorns which caused such deep wounds that His blood streamed down, filling His eyes and His ears and matting His whole beard. When the first nail was driven into Him, through the shock of that first blow I lost consciousness and fell down as though dead. Everything turned black before my eyes. My hands began to tremble. And my anguish was so bitter that I could not look up again until He was completely attatched to the cross. When I came to myself and arose again, I saw my Son hanging crucified in misery. And I, His deeply grieving Mother, felt such a shock through my whole being that  I could hardly stand . . . [since His heart was hers, that is, they were in complete accord] just as Adam and Eve sold the world for an apple, so in a certain sense my Son and I redeemed the world with one Heart . . . I stood near Him, sobbing. With His blood-filled eyes He looked down at John and commended me to His care . . . Then in the excessive anguish of His humanity He cried to His Father: "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit!" When I, His Most Sorrowful Mother heard these words, in my keen grief of heart all my limbs trembled - and indeed as often as I later thought of that cry, I could hear it again in my ears . . . Finally His head dropped, and His beard rested against His chest. [She fainted again, and when she came to she understood that it had all happened because He'd willed it to] And I thanked Him for everything. A certain joy was even mingled with my grief, for I perceived how He, who had never sinned, had willed to suffer so much for sinners, out of His great love . . . [After He was taken down] It would be impossible for anyone to describe how sad I was then. I was like a woman who gives birth to a child: after the birth her whole body is quivering, and although her pain is such that she can hardly breathe, yet in her heart she feels the greatest possible joy, becuase she knows her son which she has borne will never again have to go through that suffering which she has just experienced. Thus, though I felt a grief over the death of my Son that could not be compared to any other, I rejoiced in my soul, because I knew that my Son would not die again but would live forever.  And thus some joy was mingled with my sorrow . . . Oh, how gladly would I have allowed them to entomb me alive with my Son, if it had been His will! I can truly say that when my Son was entombed, there were two Hearts in one sepulcher. Is there not the saying: where your treasure is,  there is also your heart? Therefore my thoughts and my heart were always in the Tomb of my Son. After all these things had been accomplished,  the good John came and led me to his house. 

Michelangelo's Pieta

Holy Thursday, from "The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics"

Here's an excerpt from The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics describing what Mary went through on Holy Thursday.

To paraphrase: Mary was in a room next to the room where Jesus and his disciples had the Last Supper; she and the women who followed Him had their own table, but in visions she was able to see what went on with Christ (the feet-washing, etc.). When He offered up the bread and wine as His Body and Blood, thereby celebrating the first Holy Communion, Mary was able to receive this Communion by a special grace from God (she'd asked for it beforehand, and the angel Gabriel brought it to her).
Later when Jesus was about to leave the Cenacle with the apostles, Mary rose and went to meet Him at the door. Magdalen and another woman begged Jesus not to go to the Mount of Olives, for it was reported that He would be arrested there. The Master comforted them with a few words. Then He came face to face with His Sorrowful Mother, who threw herself at His feet and worshiped Him. Looking down at her with divine majesty and also with the overflowing love of a Son, the Lord said to her: "My Mother, I shall be with you in tribulation. Let us accomplish the will of the eternal Father and the salvation of men!" Then, as Mary made a silent offering of her grieving heart to God, He gave her his blessing, and stepping quickly past her, He set out for Gethsemani.

Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper, c. 1495 - 1499

Palm Sunday, from "The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics"

Here's an excerpt from The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics. It's a book filled with accounts of the visions various Catholic mystics received from the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ, in which she showed them behind-the-scenes moments from her life and gave them inside info into the life of her Son.

Throughout the following day [Palm Sunday], while Christ the king, riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, received the enthusiastic acclamations of His followers, the Blessed Virgin remained in retirement in Lazarus' home in Bethany, although by visions she was able to watch the thrilling triumph of her Son. She noticed how sad He was as He gazed at the Holy City and wept over its approaching destruction, and she perceived the extraordinary gravity and serene majesty of His countenance during the solemn procession. On this occasion she heard the Voice of the eternal Father in heaven declare: "I have glorified, and I shall glorify again!" 

Not sure who painted this, but I like it.

Revised Book Trailer!

I edited my trailer for The Martyr-Queen - the previous one said it was "coming soon," this one says it's "available now." Feel free to share it!

A Day in the Life of Marie Antoinette, According to Popular Belief

Marie sits up in bed, faced with her herd of ladies-in-waiting. She rises, they dress her as usual, placing each garment on her in ritualistic steps (ugh, this takes forever, she thinks) and when they're

gone, her hairdresser Léonard enters. "Good morning, Monsieur," she beams. "Make it huge today!"

"As your Majesty commands," he replies. 

A while later, she stares at herself in the mirror, delighted with her towering style adorned with a fake bird, flowers, and feathers. "Oh, I love it!" she squeals. "Léonard, you've outdone yourself!"

"All in your service, Madame," he answers, with a bow. Once he leaves, it's off to a delicious breakfast. Her husband, Louis, smears whipped cream on his pudgy cheeks, devouring pastry after pastry; she only has a plain croissant and a cup of chocolate.

"Seriously, he's such a pig," the queen complains afterward to her best friends, Thérèse and Gabrielle. "I'm sure he likes food more than me; I mean, we still don't have kids."

"Who cares," Gabrielle laughs. "Let's look at some new fashions."

"Great idea," Marie exclaims. "I'll have the servants bring champagne and sweets."

Soon, the trio are seated on the queen's daybed, viewing bolt after bolt of elaborate fabric.

"Oh, I need a dress made of that pink silk," Marie remarks. "What do you two want?"

"The red satin, and the peach velvet, those black feathers, and the rose shoes," Gabrielle says, reaching for her third eclair.

After thinking a moment, Thérèse says quietly, "I'd like the blue silk and the white shoes, please."
"Wonderful choices, my dears! Madame Bertin,"

Marie says to the dressmaker, "I'd like to purchase all those items, as well as some white feathers, strands of diamonds and pearls for my hair, the green silk fan, and the yellow satin." She added to her friends, "If I don't have enough to cover the cost, I can always get Louis to give me extra money - he'll do anything to make me happy."
"Speaking of men, I can't wait for the masked ball in Paris tonight!" Gabrielle giggles.
"Oh, I know! It's going to be such a blast!" Marie enthuses.
"I'm certainly looking forward to it," Thérèse puts in.
A notion strikes Marie. "Why don't we relax and read some of those stupid pamphlets about me this afternoon, before we get ready?"
"Yes," Gabrielle replies, "they're so funny!"
An hour or two later, they're poring over the stories turned out by the Parisian gossip-mongers, all of them attacking the queen for imagined sins.
"They say you and I are a thing, Marie," Gabrielle chuckles. "Absurd, right?"
"Completely," the queen says, "particularly because you're with a new man nearly every month!"
Thérèse is serious. "How could they come up with something so malicious?"
"They can write anything, and people believe them," Gabrielle answers. "That's the way it goes."
"I don't care anyway," Marie declares. "They're just putting words on a page - it's not going to change anything, as if the country needed changing."
"But I've heard the peasants are starving because of the bread shortage," Thérèse says. "Shouldn't we do something about that?"

"Whatever, they're probably fine, and if they have no bread, let them eat cake! We'll have enough leftovers in this room to feed the whole nation," Marie says, gesturing to the trays of sweets on the table beside them. "That is, if Gabrielle doesn't polish it all off!"
The three erupt into giggles.
Late that night, they hop into the queen's carriage and head to the ball. Descending the steps of the Opera,  they arrive on the dance floor. Thérèse is swept away by a dashing young nobleman, while Gabrielle and Marie sip champagne and wait for partners.
Suddenly, Gabrielle squeezes Marie's hand. "Don't look now, but that super hot Swedish guy, Count Axel Fersen, is coming your way."
He arrives, greeting them with a gallant smile, as Gabrielle is led to the floor by a young viscount. Just before she goes, she whispers to Marie. "Have fun."

Marie and Axel gaze at each other for a moment, then he extends his hand. "May I have this dance, Madame?"
"You may," she answers, with a coquettish grin.
After hours of dancing, drinking, and flirtation galore, the trio arrive back at the palace very early in the morning. Marie's maids prepare her for bed, and as she lies beside her snoring spouse, her last thought before falling asleep is: This was a perfect day!



This little tale is summarizes the popular understanding of what Marie Antoinette's life was like as queen, and I couldn't resist spoofing the absurdities. The account is, in reality, entirely incorrect, with the exception of two facts: she did indeed eat less than her husband, and the pamphleteers did churn out false reports about her. The rest is foolish fabrication, based on Sofia Coppola's 2006 film Marie Antoinette (from which all the images are taken). Despite the stunning costumes and scenery, the movie is a mockery of the true Antoinette, and if you wish to discover the truth, I kindly suggest that you read my book, The Martyr-Queen. :)

It's Here!

The Martyr-Queen is now available on Amazon!! Here's the cover and the link:
The Martyr-Queen

Fulfilled Dreams

My dear friends, I'm delighted beyond words to announce that I've just self-published my second book - The Martyr-Queen, a historical tale of Marie Antoinette, will hit the virtual shelves of Amazon in a few days. This labor of love, dedicated to said much-maligned lady, has been percolating in my noggin for many years and it's my hope that you enjoy my efforts. If you go to Amazon and type in my full name (Miss Isabel Rose Azar), you'll be able to find it.
Here's the book trailer I've made!

P.S. - I own none of the paintings of Antoinette (the first is by Élisabeth Vigée Lebrun, the second is by Jean-Baptiste Dagoty, the third is by François Dumont, the fourth is another Vigée Lebrun, and the fifth is by Antoine Vernier) nor the music ("Prelude" from the album Les Harps du Ciel).