BUENA VENTURA

Memorial of St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Mt 23:8-12

The Dominicans have St. Thomas Aquinas while the Franciscans have St. Bonaventure. While St. Thomas Aquinas plotted the way of the intellect to God, St. Bonaventure considered the heart as the path that leads to God. In his famous book, “Journey of the Mind to God,” Bonaventure wrote, “If you ask how mystical experience is possible, look to the grace of God and not to doctrine, to the thrust of the heart and not the intellect, to prayer and not to research, seek the Lover and not the Teacher…look not to the light of the intellect but to the burning fire that carries the soul to God.” Bonaventure looked at the world as filled with vestiges of God. A heart that loves God so intensely sees God in everything as it is God Himself who enables us to think about Him.

Bonaventure was born in 1218 in Italy. He joined the Franciscan and, even today, is sometimes called the “second founder of the Franciscan Order”. While lecturing at the University of Paris, he met Thomas Aquinas. Later on, he became Minister General of the Franciscan Order and a Cardinal of the Church. Bonaventure lived during the Middle Ages, also called “The Dark Ages”. It was a turbulent time and various theological systems flourished. With wisdom and holiness, Bonaventure, however, kept the torch burning brightly. He passed away in 1274. Considered as the greatest exponent of mystical theology in the Middle Ages, Bonaventure is referred to as the “Seraphic Doctor” of the Church.

Our saint for today has a name composed of two words: bona and ventura. Literally, his name may be translated as “good venture”. Rightly, by the holiness of his life and the wisdom of his teachings, Bonaventure ventured into something truly good. He devoted his genius to the holy endeavor of serving God as a Franciscan, a bishop, a cardinal, and a teacher of the things of God. Love of God and of the Church was the lifelong project he ventured into. His name described his life: a good venture, una buena ventura, bona ventura.

The Gospel on his memorial reminds us of the undertaking we, as disciples of Jesus, are called to venture into. We must be humble servants of God through one another. The greatest among us should serve all, but most especially the least, for with the least God identifies Himself intimately. The service required must always be humble, mindful of the humility of our Lord Himself who came to serve and not to be served and to give His life for the ransom of the many. People are God’s most especial vestiges. To serve them humbly is the thrust of the heart that St. Bonaventure continues advising those who wish to attain mystical experience. What better venture can there be for us?