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
For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.
“The Psalm says: "Upon the seas he founded it"; and elsewhere: "Who founded the earth upon its own stability." Some mocked David because he said that God founded the earth upon the waters.”
My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.
“For the Lord rejoices in the right. "The delights at your right hand forever." At the left are passing riches, glories and consolations. We must indeed adhere to the right. As the Psalm says, "Your right hand upholds me," Lord.”
Do not discard me in my old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.
“The fourth judgment of God is the judgment of abandonment, namely when God abandons man and exposes him to every temptation and sin. "When my strength shall fail, do not forsake me, O Lord. Depart not from me."”
his offspring shall endure forever, and his throne before Me like the sun,
“The spiritual throne is indicated: that of doctrine, of superiorship, or of judgment. Hence the Psalm: "And his throne shall be like the sun before me; like the moon which remains forever."”
They shed innocent blood— the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.
“The first plague was of blood, by which idolaters were struck, because the Psalm says of them: "They poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan."”
Others went out to sea in ships, conducting trade on the mighty waters.
“In relation to the most profound depth of spiritual meanings, the Psalm reads: "They who sailed the sea in ships, trading on the deep waters."”
The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
“Behold, He sets before us curse and blessing; let us leave to Judas the traitor the curse and the snares, of whom it is said that he "did not will blessing, and it shall be far from him"; and let us with blessed Matthias receive…”
Then I would not be ashamed when I consider all Your commandments.
“"Then I shall not be confounded, when I shall have regard to all your commandments." Blessed James says: "Whoever shall keep the whole law, yet offend in one point, is become guilty of all": not that for one transgression he is punished with as much…”
You rebuke the arrogant— the cursed who stray from Your commandments.
“Transgressors of the commandments merit eternal punishments. The Psalm: "Cursed are they who decline from Thy commandments": cursed, because it shall be said to them: "Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire."”
Your testimonies are indeed my delight; they are my counselors.
“'For your testimonies are my meditation, and your justifications are my counsel'; which counsel is found in the testaments and testimonies.”
Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep them to the end.
“Wherefore the Psalm reads: Happy are they whose way is blameless. And: Instruct me, O Lord, in the way of Your statutes, etc. In every verse there is a reference to commands, indicated as law, or witnessing, or declarations, or some other equivalent name.”
Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments.
“Scholastic discipline without personal discipline is insufficient for wisdom: for a man becomes wise not merely by listening: he must also conform. Hence the Psalm on wisdom reads: "Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge."”
I discern more than the elders, for I obey Your precepts.
“The second benefit of keeping the commandments of God is the understanding of the sacred Scriptures; the Psalm: "I have understood above the ancients, because I have sought your commandments."”
Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commandments of my God.
“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…”
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
“If you take a straight look at the leaders of the city, the foremost chief is Christ. In terms of the fight, although the angels and the saints help—"I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; whence shall help come to me"—yet the principal contender…”