Die 15 iulii: S. Bonaventurae, Episcopi et Ecclesiae Doctoris

If you're interested in St. Ambrose, just scroll down. But today *was* the feast of the glorious bishop and doctor of the Church, St. Bonaventure.


Ex Opusculo sancti Bonaventurae episcopi De itinerario mentis in Deum

Christus est via et ostium, Christus est scala et vehiculum tanquam propitiatorium super arcam Dei collocatum et sacramentum a saeculis absconditum. Ad quod propitiatorium qui aspicit plena conversione vultus, aspiciendo eum in cruce suspensum per fidem, spem et caritatem, devotionem, admirationem, exsultationem, appretiationem, laudem et iubilationem; pascha, hoc est transitum, cum eo facit, ut per virgam crucis transeat mare Rubrum, ab Aegypto intrans desertum, ubi gustet manna absconditum, et cum Christo requiescat in tumulo quasi exterius mortuus, sentiens, tamen, quantum possibile est secundum statum viae, quod in cruce dictum est latroni cohaerenti Christo: Hodie mecum eris in paradiso.

In hoc autem transitu, si sit perfectus, oportet quod relinquantur omnes intellectuales operationes, et apex affectus totus transferatur et transformetur in Deum. Hoc autem est mysticum et secretissimum, quod nemo novit, nisi qui accipit, nec accipit nisi qui desiderat, nec desiderat nisi quem ignis Spiritus sancti medullitus inflammat, quem Christus misit in terram. Et ideo dicit Apostolus, hanc mysticam sapientiam esse per Spiritum sanctum revelatam.

Si autem quaeras, quomodo haec fiant, interroga gratiam, non doctrinam; desiderium, non intellectum; gemitum orationis, non studium lectionis; sponsum, non magistrum; Deum, non hominem, caliginem, non claritatem; non lucem, sed ignem totaliter inflammantem et in Deum excessivis unctionibus et ardentissimis affectionibus transferentem. Qui quidem ignis Deus est, et huius caminus est in Ierusalem, et Christus hunc accendit in fervore, suae ardentissimae passionis, quam solus ille vere percipit, qui dicit: Suspendium elegit anima mea, et mortem ossa mea. Quam mortem qui diligit videre potest Deum, quia indubitanter verum est: Non videbit me homo et vivet. Moriamur igitur et ingrediamur in caliginem, imponamus silentium sollicitudinibus, concupiscentiis et phantasmatibus; transeamus cum Christo crucifixo ex hoc mundo ad Patrem, ut, ostendo nobis Patre, dicamus cum Philippo: Sufficit nobis; audiamus cum Paulo: Sufficit tibi gratia mea; Exultemus cum David dicentes: Defecit caro mea et cor meum, Deus cordis mei et pars mea Deus in aeternum. Benedictus Dominus in aeternum, et dicet omnis populus: Fiat, fiat.


UPDATE 7/16 7:45pm: English translation. Father Z made me do it with his awesome podcazt.
From the little work of Saint Bonaventure, bishop, called “The mind’s journey to God”

Christ is the way and the door, Christ is the stair and the vehicle, as it were the reconciliation placed above the throne of God and the sacrament concealed from the ages. He who looks toward this reconciliation full with the turning-around of his face, by looking upon the one suspended on the cross through faith, hope and love, devotion, admiration, exsultation, gratitude, praise and jubilation; makes with him a pasch, that is, a passage, so that through the staff of the Cross he might cross the Red Sea, crossing from Egypt over the desert, where he might taste the hidden manna, and he might rest in the tomb with Christ as if dead to the outside, nevertheless sensing, as much as is possible according to his journey’s state, that which was stated on the cross to the thief clinging to Christ: Today you will be with me in paradise.

But in this passage, if it be perfect, it is necessary that all intellectual faculties be left behind, and the whole summit of affection be handed over and transformed into God. But this is a mystical and very secret thing, which no one knows, except who has received it, nor does he receive it except he who longs for it, nor does he long for it except he whom the fire of the Holy Spirit has inflamed to his very marrow, whom Christ has sent to earth. And therefore the Apostle says, this mystical knowledge has been revealed through the Holy Spirit.

But if you ask, how these things might be, ask grace, not doctrine; longing, not intellect; the sigh of prayer, not the zeal of reading; the Bridegroom, not the teacher; God, not man; fogginess, not clarity; not light, but a fire being wholly burned up and bearing itself to God with excessive ointments and most ardent affections. For this fire is God, and the furnace of this fire is in Jerusalem, and Christ has lit it in the fervor of his own most ardent passion, which that one alone truly grasped who says: My soul has chosen a hanging, and my bones death. He who loves this death is able to see God, because it is undoubtedly true: Man will not see me and live. Therefore let us die and let us ascend into fogginess, let us put silence on our cares, desires and phantoms; let us pass with Christ crucified out of this world to the Father, so that, when the Father is shown to us, we may say with Philip: It is enough for us; let us hear with Paul: My grace is enough for you; let us rejoice with David saying: My care is lacking and my heart, God of my heart and God is my inheritance for eternity. Blessed be the Lord for eternity, and let every people say: Amen, amen.


Oh, man, simply GLORIOUS stuff! There is good reason that he is called the "Seraphic Doctor." How can you read that and not have your heart set on FIRE?!

At any rate, here is the continuation of St. Ambrose's glorious sacramental tract, which we would have had had St. Bonaventure not charged in with his glorious feast:


Hebdomada XV per annum Feria Tertia

Ex Tractátu sancti Ambrósii epíscopi De mystériis

Te Apóstolus docet quóniam patres nostri omnes sub nube fuérunt et omnes mare transiérunt et omnes in Móysen baptizáti sunt in nube et in mari. Dénique et ipse Móyses dicit in cántico: Misísti spíritum tuum et coopéruit eos mare. Advértis quod in illo Hebræórum tránsitu iam tunc sacri baptísmatis figúra præcésserit, in quo Ægýptius intériit et Hebræus evásit. Quid enim áliud in hoc cotídie sacraménto docémur, nisi quia culpa demérgitur et error abolétur, píetas autem et innocéntia tota pertránsit?

Audis quia sub nube fuérunt patres nostri, et bona nube quæ carnálium refrigerávit incéndia passiónum, bona nube: obúmbrat quos revísit Spíritus Sanctus. Dénique supervénit in Maríam Vírginem, et virtus Altíssimi obumbrávit ei, quando redemptiónem genti generávit humánæ. Et illud miráculum per Móysen in figúra factum est. Si ergo in figúra fuit Spíritus, non adest in veritáte cum Scriptúra tibi dicat quia lex per Móysen data est, grátia autem et véritas per Iesum Christum facta est?

Mara fons amárus erat, misit in eum Móyses lignum et dulcis est factus. Aqua enim sine prædicatióne domínicæ crucis ad nullos usus futúræ salútis est; cum vero salutáris fúerit crucis mystério consecráta, tunc ad usum spiritális lavácri et salutáris póculi temperátur. Sicut ergo in illum fontem Móyses lignum misit, hoc est prophéta, et in hunc fontem sacérdos prædicatiónem domínicæ crucis mittit et aqua fit ad grátiam dulcis.

Non ergo solis córporis tui credas óculis: magis vidétur quod non vidétur, quia istud temporále illud ætérnum. Magis aspícitur quod óculis non comprehénditur, ánimo autem ac mente cérnitur.

Dénique dóceat te decúrsa Regnórum léctio. Náaman Syrus erat et lepram habébat nec ab ullo mundári póterat. Tunc ait puélla ex captívis quóniam esset prophéta in Israel qui posset eum a lepræ contagióne mundáre. Sumpto, inquit, auro et argénto perréxit ad regem Israel. Qui, cógnita advéntus eius causa, scidit vestiménta sua, dicens quod tentarétur magis cum de se ea quæ non essent potestátis régiæ posceréntur. Eliséus autem regi intimávit ut ad se dirígeret Syrum, quo cognósceret quod esset Deus in Israel. Et cum venísset, mandávit ei ut sépties mérgeret in Iordáne flúvio. Tunc ille secum tractáre cœpit quod melióres aquas flúmina habérent pátriæ suæ in quibus sæpe mersísset et numquam a lepra esset ablútus, eóque revocátus non obœdiébat mandátis prophétæ. Sed admónitu et persuasiónibus servulórum acquiévit et mersit, mundatúsque íllico intelléxit non aquárum esse quod unusquísque mundátur, sed grátiæ.

Et ille dubitávit ántequam sanarétur; tu iam sanátus es et ídeo dubitáre non debes.