Voices and influences
Bonaventure
He led the Franciscans through a civil war of their own and mapped the mind's journey up into God.
Summary
This site quotes Bonaventure 113 times across 24 books, and lists 0 works.
- Lived died 1274.
- Quoted here most in Luke: 33 of 113.
Bonaventure
- Lived
- died 1274
- Tradition
- Patristic
5 of 113 quotations
Own words
Quoted at 50 words or fewer, because Bonaventure's works are in copyright.
Supposing I wanted to know how the Word of God can be the Restorer: Isaiah speaks of it: "A child is born to us, a son is given us; upon His shoulder dominion rests. They name Him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace." He it …
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. BSB
The second mode of breaking a vow occurs through a contrary will, as when someone promises something to God and afterward repents of it. Against such persons it is said in Deuteronomy: "If anything has proceeded from your lips, you shall not make it void."
Deuteronomy 23:23 Be careful to follow through on what comes from your lips, because you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth. BSB
It is read that blessed Gregory, who was Pope and Doctor of the Church, had the custom that whenever he went to the study of the divine law, he always spoke these words: Depart from me, ye evildoers, and I will search the commandments of …
Psalms 119:115 Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commandments of my God. BSB
The third and worst mode of breaking a vow occurs through apostatic rebellion, as when a man apostatizes from religious life. The first mode of breaking a vow is evil, the second worse, the third worst, because it is said: "An apostate man is a …
Proverbs 6:12 A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth, BSB
Solomon in Proverbs says: "I am the most foolish of men, and the wisdom of men is not with me. I have not learned wisdom, and I have not known the wisdom of the Saints." Christ was foolish in outward appearance, when he departed from …
Proverbs 30:2–3 Surely I am the most ignorant of men, and I lack the understanding of a man. I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One. BSB
Influence, on the record
This site quotes Bonaventure 113 times across 24 books.
This site’s own count of what it does with the voice
The life, in order
The life told as one accountfrom this site's record
He was born Giovanni di Fidanza at Bagnoregio in central Italy, about 1217. The story he tells is that he was gravely ill as a small child and his mother prayed to Francis of Assisi for him, and he recovered. He went to Paris to study, joined the Franciscans around 1243, and studied theology under Alexander of Hales. He was teaching at Paris in the 1250s alongside Thomas Aquinas — the two friars, a Dominican and a Franciscan, at the same university at the same moment, both under attack from the secular masters who wanted the mendicant orders thrown out of the schools. They were admitted as full masters on the same day in 1257. By then Bonaventure had already been elected Minister General of the Franciscan order, at about forty. The order was tearing itself apart. Francis had died in 1226 leaving a movement committed to absolute poverty. One party — the Spirituals — held that the founder's rule must be kept literally, no property, no buildings, no books. The other wanted an order that could run schools, staff parishes, and own the roof over its head. Both sides claimed Francis. Bonaventure spent seventeen years holding it together. He legislated, travelled constantly, deposed his radical predecessor's supporters, and wrote an official life of Francis — the Legenda Maior — that was so carefully balanced the general chapter of 1266 ordered all earlier lives destroyed so that his would stand alone. That order was an act of governance, and it cost the church some early sources. His theology went the other direction from Aquinas. Where Thomas built out from Aristotle, Bonaventure stayed with Augustine and with the Victorines, and insisted that the point of learning is love. His most famous work, The Journey of the Mind into God, was written in 1259 on Mount La Verna, where Francis had received the stigmata. It maps the ascent in six stages — from seeing God through the created world, to seeing him in the image of the soul, to contemplation above the mind — and ends by saying that at the summit the intellect must fall silent and only love goes further. He also wrote the Breviloquium, a compact summary of theology, the Collations on the Six Days, and a commentary on Peter Lombard's Sentences. He was made cardinal bishop of Albano in 1273 — the legend says the envoys found him washing dishes and had to wait — and did much of the work of the Second Council of Lyons, which briefly reunited the Greek and Latin churches. He died during the council, on 15 July 1274, four months after Aquinas. Sources: Bonaventure, The Journey of the Mind into God, Breviloquium, and Legenda Maior; Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, vol. V; The Catholic Encyclopedia (1913); The Little Flowers of St. Francis.
113 quotations across 24 books
Where this voice is quoted
And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun.
“And the reason for the loathing is introduced: "Who shall have an heir after me, whom I know not whether he will be wise or foolish."”
Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
“Not only does it not profit, but rather it harms: whence he adds: "All his days are full of labors and sorrows," outwardly: "nor does his mind rest at night," inwardly.”
I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them.
“And he shows that there is affliction: I have seen the affliction which God has given to the sons of men, that they may be occupied in it: he gave, that is, he permitted to be given, according to that passage in Romans 1: "God…”
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
“As for the advantage in preserving he adds: "And if two sleep together, they will warm each other," that is, they will be preserved from the cold: Ephesians 5: "No one has hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it."”
For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.
“"That from prison and chains sometimes one goes forth to a kingdom": Wisdom ten: "She did not abandon the just man who was sold into bondage, but freed him from sinners, until she brought him the scepter of the kingdom."”
or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.
“"These, I say, perish in the worst affliction," because it is necessary that he relinquish them with sorrow: Job twenty-seven: "The rich man, when he shall sleep, shall take nothing with him."”
This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?
“And this is greatly to be lamented: whence he adds: "A most miserable infirmity indeed: as he came, so shall he return:" whence 1 Timothy last chapter: "We brought nothing into this world, and there is no doubt that neither can we carry anything away."”
Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor.
“And he approves this consideration, as though it pleases God; whence he also adds: "And to every man to whom God has given substance and riches:" for these things are from God; whence Ecclesiasticus 11: "Good things and evil, life and death, poverty and honor…”
The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,
“On account of the inexperience of good, he adds: "he does not see the sun," in which namely there is delight and experience of good, according to what is said below in the eleventh chapter: "The light is sweet, and it is delightful for the…”
For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
“He also acts easily; therefore he says: And His word is full of power, the Psalm: "The voice of the Lord in power, the voice of the Lord breaking the cedars": and Jeremiah 32: "No word shall be difficult for You, who show mercy unto…”
Then too, I saw the burial of the wicked who used to go in and out of the holy place, and they were praised in the city where they had…
“As for exaltation in fame he says: I saw the wicked buried, namely by the depth of despair: Proverbs 18: "When the wicked man comes into the depth of sins, he scorns."”
I saw every work of God, and that a man is unable to comprehend the work that is done under the sun.
“Therefore he adds: And I understood that man can find no reason for all the works of God, of those works, namely, which are done under the sun: Sirach 43: "Do not labor, for you will not comprehend."”
Yet the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming, and who can tell him what will come after him?
“Furthermore, he perseveres in folly: therefore he adds: The fool multiplies words, thus by multiplying foolish words he becomes obstinate in malice: against which in the Psalm: "Incline not my heart to words of malice" etc.; and this is useless and vain, whence it is…”
Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
“It is indeed a beautiful wisdom, because it is light, but it is more beautiful than the sun, since the sun is unable to give birth to its radiance within itself, while the Eternal Sun begets the most beautiful Radiance within Himself.”
The Teacher searched to find delightful sayings and to record accurate words of truth.
“Second, the book of Proverbs is touched upon, when he says: "And searching, he composed parables, which are useful words," that is, in Proverbs: at the beginning of Proverbs: "The parables of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel, for knowing wisdom and discipline, for…”