Friday 15th Week of Ordinary Time

 

Feast of St. Bonaventure

St. Bonaventure is often known as the second founder of the Franciscan Order after St. Francis. He was Minister General of the Order, a Cardinal and Doctor of the Church.

He was particularly known for his wisdom, because it was not so much knowledge that he sought but Wisdom.

Not a worldly wisdom, but a hidden mysterious wisdom that God planned before all ages for our glory. 1 Cor. 1:7

It is a Wisdom that eye has not seen and ear has not heard. 1Cor. 1:9

But how does one attain such a hidden, mysterious wisdom?

A wisdom that cannot be seen nor heard.

Through silence!

For the beginning of wisdom is silence.

As Bonaventure taught, “we must silence all of our cares, our desires and our senses so that we might pass over with Christ Crucified from this world to the Father.”

What cares do we have?

What desires do we crave?

What senses and appetites seem to run our lives?

Sit in front of a crucifix and silence them.

For In the face of the Crucified, all of our cares, desires and appetites become unimportant.

In the face of such Love and such suffering all one can do is fall silent.

And in that silence one begins to grow in Wisdom that eye cannot see and ear cannot hear nor the world understand.

But was prepared for our glory before the ages!