English: Saint Bonaventure receives
the Envoys of the Byzantine Emperor at the
Second Council of Lyon (1272 - 1274).
Deutsch: Der Hl. Bonaventura empfängt
die Gesandten des Kaisers.
Artist: Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664).
Date: Circa 1640.
Collection: Louvre Museum.
Source/Photographer: The Yorck Project (2002)
10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei (DVD-ROM),
distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH.
(Wikimedia Commons)
By: Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B.
Volume 13.
Time After Pentecost.
Book IV.
Four months after “The Angel of The Schools” [Editor: Saint Thomas Aquinas. Feast Day 7 March], “The Seraphic Doctor” appears in the heavens. Bound by the ties of love when on Earth, the two are now united for ever before The Throne of God.
Bonaventure's own words will show us how great a right they both had to The Heavenly Titles bestowed upon them by the admiring gratitude of men.
As there are three hierarchies of Angels in Heaven, so, on Earth, there are three classes of The Elect. The Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones, who form the first hierarchy, represent those who approach nearest to God by contemplation, and who differ among themselves according to the intensity of their love, the plenitude of their science, and the steadfastness of their justice; to The Dominations, Virtues, and Powers, correspond the Prelates and Princes; and, lastly, the lowest Choirs signify the various Ranks of The Faithful engaged in the active life.
This is the triple division of men, which, according to Saint Luke, will be made at the last day: Two shall be in the bed, two in the field, two at the mill; that is to say, in the repose of Divine Delights, in the field of government, at the mill of this life's toil.
Saint Bonaventure.
Feast Day 14 July.
Available on YouTube at
As regards the two mentioned in each place, we may remark that, in Isaias, The Seraphim, who are more closely united to God than the rest, perform two by two their ministry of sacrifice and praise; for it is with the Angel as with man; the fulness of love, which belongs especially to The Seraphim, cannot be without the fulfilment of the double precept of Charity towards God and one's neighbour.
Again, Our Lord sent His Disciples two and two before His Face; and, in Genesis, we find God sending two Angels where one would have sufficed. It is better, therefore, says Ecclesiastes, that two should be together than one; for they have the advantage of their society.
Such is the teaching of Bonaventure in his book on The Hierarchy, wherein he shows us the secret workings of Eternal Wisdom for the salvation of the World and sanctification of The Elect.
It would be impossible to understand aright the history of the 13th-Century were we to forget the prophetic vision, wherein Our Lady was seen presenting to her offended Son His two servants, Dominic and Francis, that they might, by their powerful union, bring back to Him the wandering human race.
What a spectacle for Angels when, on the morrow of the apparition, the two Saints met and embraced: “Thou art my companion, we will run side by side,” said the descendant of the Guzmans to the poor man of Assisi; “let us keep together, and no man will be able to prevail against us.”. These words might well have been the motto of their noble sons, Thomas and Bonaventure.
The Star, which shone over the head of Saint Dominic, shed its bright rays on Saint Thomas; The Seraphic who imprinted the stigmata in the flesh of Saint Francis touched with his fiery wing the Soul of Saint Bonaventure; yet both, like their incomparable fathers, had but one end in view: To draw men by science and love to that Eternal Life which consists in knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent.
The remainder of this Article on Saint Bonaventure can be read in full in “The Liturgical Year”, by Abbot Guéranger, O.S.B. Available from SILVERSTREAM PRIORY
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