July 15th St. Bonaventure

 

Today we celebrate the memorial of St. Bonaventure. He was born in 1221 in Italy and given the name John. At the age of 4, he had a very dangerous illness. His mother, who gave up on physicians, became fearful he might die. She heard of St. Francis of Assisi, and took little John to him, to pray over her son. And instantly and miraculously, he was healed. St. Francis seeing his future greatness, exclaimed, “O buona ventura” --O Good Fortune! And from then on, the child was called Bonaventure.

At the age of 22, he entered the Franciscan Order. Having made his vows, he was sent to Paris to complete his studies. While in Paris, he became good friends with St. Thomas Aquinas. One day, Thomas went to visit him, while Bonaventure was writing a biography of St. Francis of Assisi. As he came upon him he noticed Bonaventure was raised in ecstasy above the earth, and remarked, “Let us leave a saint to write about a saint”.

Because of his external knowledge, he was appointed as professor of a college, and so, St. Thomas asked Bonaventure, from which books, he obtained all his knowledge. St. Bonaventure pointed to the crucifix, indicating the crucifix was his library. He devoted many hours contemplating the sufferings of Jesus, and was very zealous toward Our Blessed Lady.

A Eucharistic miracle happened to St. Bonaventure as well. Once, out of humility, he abstained from consuming the Eucharist. Consequently, an angel placed a consecrated host on his tongue, because the Lord had desired to come to him in Holy Communion.

Ordained a priest, he devoted himself with extraordinary zeal for the salvation of souls.

Even though he was chosen as General of his order, at the age of 35, he undertook the lowliest duties at the convent. He mandated the Angelus bell be rung daily in all Franciscan churches. This custom soon spread throughout the world. He also restored calm after internal dissension in his Franciscan Religious Order. He eventually became a bishop and cardinal.

Due to his efforts; at the Council of Lyons, the east Greek schismatics were reunited with Rome. However, he fell ill, and died in 1274, before the Council was completed.

Although he is, “The Seraphic Doctor of the Church”, he made this simple statement, “The wounds of Jesus are arrows, that wound the hardest hearts, and flames that kindle the coldest souls.”