July 14

St. Bonaventure, Doctor Of The Church.

Preparation. - “How great is he that findeth wisdom and knowledge” (Eccli. 25. 13). St. Bonaventure was truly great, first, on account of his science and still more of his virtue, and secondly, by his intimate union with the Incarnate Word. Let us, like him, accustom ourselves to read and study with the special intention of acquiring useful knowledge and becoming better, for these are the sources of true greatness.

I. St. Bonaventure’s Science and Virtue.

According to Pope Sixtus V. St. Bonaventure, surnamed the Seraphic Doctor, “possessed quite a special gift of writing. His works are filled with profound learning, subtle reasoning a strong and energetic language, but especially and admirable style that wins the most obstinate minds and moves the most obdurate hearts. In them fervor and piety are inseparable from science; and the author seems to have served as an organ of the Holy Ghost.”

This eulogium of the Sovereign Pontiff shows that the learning acquired by the holy Doctor, far from diminishing in him the unction of grace, only rendered it the firmer and deeper. From his very infancy he had learned from his pious mother to practice obedience, recollection and union with God, and he continued to increase with his years in these holy dispositions.

Modesty accompanied his every act. Esteeming himself the least of his brethren, he most eagerly embraced the most abject employments. But his Holy Writ tells us that “where humility is, there also is wisdom” (Prov. 11. 2), it is not astonishing that so humble a learned man should have received also from heaven so many special lights. To a low opinion of himself he joined the spirit of prayer, a new fountain of heavenly splendors. Thus was his heart opened to the inspiration of grace; he was inflamed with divine love, and in these ever fertile sentiments, he composed his admirable works.

Let us, after his example, choose humility and mental prayer as the two sources, whence we shall derive wisdom and counsel in doubts, courage and fortitude in trials, spiritual peace and joy amid the miseries of this life. Humility teaches us to mistrust our mind and to defer to the wise counsels of others. Mental prayer places us in relation with God, in whom are all the resources of the mind and heart. Let us never begin our meditations without acknowledging our nothingness and whilst humbling ourselves before God, let us not fail to place all our confidence in Him by imploring His assistance. We ought to be, observes St. Augustine, like beggars seeking alms and importuning the charity of the rich till what they ask for is granted them.

O my God, my exceedingly great and continual wretchedness should compel me to have recourse to Thee without ceasing and always with fervor. Grant me a most lively desire for my sanctification, a great self-diffidence, and an ardent thirst for prayer even amid my occupations. “But I am a beggar and poor; the Lord is careful for me” (Ps. 39. 18).

II. St. Bonaventure’s Union With Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the divine Word enlightening every man coming into the world. The surest means of being enlightened and sanctified is to unite ourselves with Him, as St. Bonaventure did. This admirable saint testifies having drawn all his knowledge from the wounds of the Crucifix. Meditation on the Passion he considered the highest wisdom. He found therein the perfection of justice, the fulness of science, the abundance of merits, the riches of salvation. Even exterior occupations could not deprive him of the presence of his Lord, for he had Him ever before his mind, in order to conform himself to His examples.

Having become priest, with how great a love he offered the August Victim and remained unceasingly united to Him! “Holy Communion,” he would say, “brings us immense advantages; the remission of our sins, the weakening of concupiscence, the enlightenment of the mind, interior perfection, incorporation in Jesus Christ and in His mystical body, strengthening in virtue, power against the devil, the most immovable certainty of faith, the increase of hope and the enkindling of charity.”

His devotion in celebrating the holy mysteries was manifested by an abundance of tears, and their impression continued all day with him. When on his death-bed being unable to receive the holy Viaticum, very much grieved thereat, he requested that the Sacred Host might be placed near his breast, so as to experience its salutary effects. When this was done, the Host escaped from the hand of the priest, and penetrated into the dying saint, leaving a momentary visible impression of its course. The saint breaking forth in transport of thanksgiving, expired in the embrace of the Lord (in osculo Domini).

O that we could die thus! Let us render ourselves worthy of such a favor by a tender and fervent devotion to Jesus suffering and immolated on our altars.

O my Saviour, Light of the world and Furnace of divine love, deign to enlighten and inflame me at the remembrance of Thy Passion and of Thy immolation in our churches. Through the prayers of the Mediatress of our salvation and of St. Bonaventure, her servant, grant me a lively faith in these mysteries, the care assiduously to meditate on them, so as to derive therefrom abundant fruits of sanctification for myself and for others.