Preparing for Contemplative Prayer - Meditation
St. Bonaventure, (1221-1274) a Franciscan whom Pope Leo XIII called "the Prince of Mystics" and according to Jordan Aumann, Christian Spirituality in the Catholic Tradition, others call the greatest theologian of the spiritual life among the Franciscans, [p. 138] in his book La Triple Voie, which Bonaventure wrote around 1270, uses the word "steps" or "way" ("Voie") and he lists three major ones under the major headings of the Purgative, Illuminative and Unitive ways. He says that you must make use of the sting of conscience to be purified [Purgative Way], the light of reason to have clear sight, 'Illuminative] and the spark of wisdom to become perfect [Unitive].
In the Purgative way, Bonaventure teaches that during meditation the Spirit excites the sting of conscience. The Spirit helps a person to not neglect to watch over his heart, and his time - so it is employed usefully, and his purity of intention - so that his work is aimed to his eternal end. Next, he must not neglect prayer, studies, and good works. The last thing he must not neglect is to repent of his sin and to cry over it, to resist evil and all temptations, and to advance in virtues so that he can arrive at the Promised Land.
Bonaventure says that one must examine his attitudes to root out concupiscence [man's natural tendency to sin - a result from the fall from grace of Adam and Eve] within himself. He tells of these signs: the lust of the flesh is betrayed by the need of candy, of gratification of the senses, of the search for softness, for comfortable clothes, for sensual conversation and entertainment. The lust of the eyes is the desire to know secret things, the need to have rare and precious objects. The lust of the spirit or pride is when one seeks out the best treatment, the best music; and honors - things that render a man vain. In all these tendencies, the sting of the conscience must stimulate remorse of the heart.
St. Bonaventure, La Triple Voie, 1269-1270) Available from the internet. Translation my own.
We went to the home of St. Bonaventure when we were in Italy in October. His home town is gradually falling off the cliff. You get to the town by walking out on a long bridge. The rain stopped when we arrived and we were able to see a double rainbow.
St. Bonaventure, (1221-1274) a Franciscan whom Pope Leo XIII called "the Prince of Mystics" and according to Jordan Aumann, Christian Spirituality in the Catholic Tradition, others call the greatest theologian of the spiritual life among the Franciscans, [p. 138] in his book La Triple Voie, which Bonaventure wrote around 1270, uses the word "steps" or "way" ("Voie") and he lists three major ones under the major headings of the Purgative, Illuminative and Unitive ways. He says that you must make use of the sting of conscience to be purified [Purgative Way], the light of reason to have clear sight, 'Illuminative] and the spark of wisdom to become perfect [Unitive].
In the Purgative way, Bonaventure teaches that during meditation the Spirit excites the sting of conscience. The Spirit helps a person to not neglect to watch over his heart, and his time - so it is employed usefully, and his purity of intention - so that his work is aimed to his eternal end. Next, he must not neglect prayer, studies, and good works. The last thing he must not neglect is to repent of his sin and to cry over it, to resist evil and all temptations, and to advance in virtues so that he can arrive at the Promised Land.
Bonaventure says that one must examine his attitudes to root out concupiscence [man's natural tendency to sin - a result from the fall from grace of Adam and Eve] within himself. He tells of these signs: the lust of the flesh is betrayed by the need of candy, of gratification of the senses, of the search for softness, for comfortable clothes, for sensual conversation and entertainment. The lust of the eyes is the desire to know secret things, the need to have rare and precious objects. The lust of the spirit or pride is when one seeks out the best treatment, the best music; and honors - things that render a man vain. In all these tendencies, the sting of the conscience must stimulate remorse of the heart.
St. Bonaventure, La Triple Voie, 1269-1270) Available from the internet. Translation my own.
We went to the home of St. Bonaventure when we were in Italy in October. His home town is gradually falling off the cliff. You get to the town by walking out on a long bridge. The rain stopped when we arrived and we were able to see a double rainbow.
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