Monday, July 15, 2013

BONAVENTURE

Exodus 1:8-14,22; MAtthew 10:34-11:1

Here is a bit of instruction from St. Bonaventure whose feast we celebrate today:

"In beautiful thins St. Francis saw Beauty itself, and through his vestiges imprinted on creation he followed his Beloved everywhere, making from all things a ladder by which he could climb up and embrace Him who is utterly desirable.  If you desire to know...ask grace, not instruction; desire, not understanding; the groaning of prayer, not diligent reading; the Spouse, not the teacher; God, not man; darkness not clarity; not light, but fire that totally inflames and carries us into God by ecstatic unctions and burning affections"


ask grace, not instruction
ask desire, not understanding
ask groaning of prayer, not diligent reading
ask for the Spouse, not the teacher
ask for God, not man
ask for darkness, not clarity
ask not for light, but fire that totally inflames and carries us into God by ecstatic unctions and burning affections


These are the words of St. Bonaventure, the doctor of the church.

It is fitting for the gospel today in which Jesus states the following

"Whoever loves Father or mother more than me is not worthy of me...whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me

Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me..."

I know plenty of parents who think they love God more than their children but do not live it; I know plenty of parents who choose their children over God daily.  I know those who would sacrifice God for the sake of their Children but not many who would sacrifice their children for the sake of God.


Where is our love?  Where does it reside?  Who take first place in our heart and mind?










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