Homily: July 15 2016 - St. Bonaventure - Burning love of the Crucified

In the early 13^th century, a young boy named Giovanni di Fidanza became gravely ill, to the point of death. His mother, sought ought a holy man who had been preaching the Gospel of Christ throughout the land.  The preacher prayed over the boy, and cured him, and spoke the words, “O Bonaventura”—“O one for whom good things will come”.  The preacher of course was St. Francis, the boy Giovanni, would later take the words of prophecy uttered by Francis as his name.  Good things certainly were to come through the life of this boy healed by the love of God.

Bonaventure entered the Franciscan Order at an early age. Because of his great intellect he was sent to study in one of the world’s great universities in Paris. Because of his great intellect and virtue, one of his professors said of his, “In Bonaventure, it was as if Adam hadn’t sin.” Not much later, at the age of 27, he was made a professor at that great school. And again, because of his wisdom and holiness, he was elected, at the age of 35, minister general of the Franciscans.  He is often called the “second Founder” of the Franciscans because of the great impact he had on the order, particularly in stressing the importance of study and loving Christ with a burning heart.

Named after the Seraphim, the order of angels who serve at God’s throne and offer God constant praise, Bonaventure is known as the Seraphic Doctor. The word Seraphim means burning one. Bonaventure loved God and served God with a burning love. His writings as a Doctor of the Church are filled with urgings to love God. “There is no other path (to heaven, to God, to happiness),” he writes, “but through the burning love of the Crucified.” Only a “raging fire” in our soul, a fire of “intense fervor” and “glowing love” can carry our soul to God. 

Is your heart on fire with love of God? If not, why not? For our souls to catch fire, Bonaventure encourages us to strive to avoid sin, to pray for the healing of our deformed nature, to meditate upon God’s word, that our mind might be illuminated by the knowledge of divine things, and to practice contemplation, to focus our hearts and minds on God alone.

Bonaventure reminds us that it is through the mercy of God that we are healed, that we are called to cooperate with God through study and prayer as God works to purify, enlighten, and enflame our intellects and hearts.  May we benefit from Bonaventure’s example, teaching, and heavenly intercession in our souls’ journey toward God, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.