Saint Bonaventure: The Seraphic Doctor Minister-General of the Franciscan OrderCostelloe, Laurence
Religion
Saint Bonaventure: The Seraphic Doctor Minister-General of the Franciscan Order
Costelloe, Laurence
Bonaventure, Saint, Cardinal, approximately 1217-1274
This is another episode of the same holy friendship, which Wadding
[Footnote 39] recounts on the testimony of Mark of Lisbon. As St.
Thomas Aquinas was once wondering at the varied learning and depth of
insight displayed in his friend's writings, he asked St. Bonaventure
to show him the books from which he had drawn. Thereupon the humble
Franciscan General showed St. Thomas a Crucifix, and pointing to it
exclaimed: "It is from this well-spring of light and love that I have
drawn whatever is to be found in my lectures or writings".
[Footnote 39: Tom. IV, Anno 1260. No. 20.]
The following incident in connexion with St. Antony of Padua gives us
an insight into St. Bonaventure's unctuous devotion. When our Saint
was in Italy in the year 1263, he presided over the translation of St.
Antony's relics, which were then removed on 8 April from the humble
Church where they had reposed since 1232 to the noble Basilica where
they still remain. When the lid of the coffin was removed and all
pressed eagerly forward to gaze, it was seen that though the flesh had
long since returned to dust, and even the bones {94} were fast
crumbling away, the tongue, "which for 32 years had lain under the
earth, was found as fresh and ruddy as though the Most Blessed Father
had died that self-same hour". [Footnote 40] With the tact and
eloquence which were so peculiarly his own, Bonaventure turned this
extraordinary happening to devout account. Reverently taking the relic
into his hands and kissing it with tender devotion, he exclaimed, "O
Blessed Tongue, which in life didst ever bless the Lord and lead
others to bless Him, now doth it manifestly appear in what high honour
thou wast held by God Himself". He then directed that it be preserved
in a costly reliquary, as a special object of veneration, rather than
remain with the rest of the body.
[Footnote 40: Cf. "Analecta Franciscana," Tom. III, pp. 328 and 157.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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