[Sermon] 1. Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy
THe SUNDAY SERMONS OF St. BONAVENTURE
SERMON 26: FifTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER
[Sermon] 1. Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24. Although divine goodness is of such generosity and diffusion, that it even invites others to receive each of its precious gifts, nevertheless, since prudent judgment joins with abundant diffusion, the precious gifts of grace are not given to anyone who does not prepare oneself with diligence. Therefore, in order that his disciples might be prepared to receive the influence of diffusive goodness, our Lord Jesus Christ in the proposed verse invited them and, in them, any one of us, to undertake the appropriate preparation we require. Second, he affirmed the generous abundance of the celestial diffusion that is proper to God. Third, he described the efficacious usefulness of the gift. First, the preparation required from us is noted, when it says: Ask. Indeed there is no better preparation for receiving divine grace than the petition of a devout prayer. Second, the abundance of the supernatural diffusion from God is noted, when it adds: and you shall receive, almost as if to say: the divine goodness is of such generosity and diffusion that the only thing we have to do is to receive it. Third, the complete and perfect efficacy of the gift is noted, when it includes: that your joy might be full."
2. It says therefore: Ask, where he invites us to the appropriate disposition required on our part. Indeed a per- "°° On prayer, divine goodness and the reception of the Holy Spirit in Bonaventure's theology, see Johnson, The Soul in Ascent, 71-92.
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son appropriately prepares as much as one can for the reception of divine grace, who asks first, sincerely with the rectitude of conscience that avoids evil; second, prudently with discerning wisdom that chooses the good; third, with confident certitude that awaits the future.
3. First, ask sincerely with the rectitude of conscience that avoids evil. Whence 1 John 3:21-22 speaks of this:
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence towards God, and whatever we ask, we shall receive from him. Indeed just as the sun, when the air has been cleansed by the disappearance of the clouds, sends its rays and scatters the splendor of its light everywhere, so too, God, the sun of justice, fills the clean and upright heart in which there is no remorse of conscience with the gifts of grace. In fact, it is not fitting that the aroma of celestial grace be placed in a heart that resembles a filthy vase.
4. Second, ask prudently with discerning wisdom that chooses the good. Whence 1 Kings 3:11-12 says of Solomon: Because you have asked this thing and have not asked neither long life nor riches, nor the lives of your enemies, but asked for yourself the wisdom to make just judgment, behold I have acted according to your words.
It is as if God says: you did not ask for a long life lest you be puffed up with pride; or the cupidity of money lest you be weighted down by avarice; or the impiety of vengeance lest you be corrupted by jealousy; since you requested for yourself the wisdom of discerning and choosing the good of grace from the evil of sin, I have carried out your petition. Something similar is related in Esther 7:2: What is your petition Esther, and what do you wish me to do?
Even if you were to demand half of my kingdom, I would give it to you. And she said: If I have found favor before you, give me and my people that which I ask. If this wise
THe SUNDAY SERMONS OF ST. BONAVENTURE
woman placed the salvation of her body and that of her neighbor before kingdoms and thrones,*"* so much the more should we place the salvation of our souls before all earthly goods, because the soul is so much more than the body; neither does it profit a person whatsoever to gain the entire world, and suffer**? mortal damage to his soul, for nothing can be exchanged for the soul.
5. Third, the person asks with confident certitude that awaits the future. 1 John 5:14 says: This is the trust we have in God: that whatever we might ask according to his will, we know that he hears us; and we know that he hears us, whatever we ask him. God mercifully inclines his pious ears immediately to answer the prayers of the person who, naturally lacking confidence due to personal indigence, returns confidently to seek divine mercy. This happens nevertheless as long as the individual does not request something that is contrary to one's salvation or that of a neighbor, for such a petition would neither be pleasing to the eyes of the divine majesty nor move his sweet piety. Instead, it would irritate the rectitude of his justice. And this is why James 4:3 states: You ask and do not receive because you ask unwisely; this happens, when someone asks something contrary to one's salvation or that of a neighbor. Such a thing is displeasing to God just as if a person petitioned a king for something inappropriate and made him worthy of blame or disgrace. Yet because wrongful things are sometimes offered under the guise and likeness of virtue,**? which generates falsehood,
*! See Wis 7:8: "And I preferred her (Wisdom) to kingdoms and thrones and esteemed riches nothing in comparison with her."
452 See Matt 16:26.
"8 Bonaventure has adapted Letter 45 n. 7 of Seneca. See Seneca ad Lucilium Epistulae morales, vol. 1, translated by Richard M. Gummere, LCL (London: William Heinemann, 1934), 294: "Vices creep into our hearts under the name of virtues."
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the soul is agitated; thus many people are deceived in the formulation of their petitions.
6. It follows: and you shall receive, where the second asserts the abundance of the supernatural diffusion from God. They will receive a threefold gift from the affluence of divine liberality according to the previously stated triple disposition. First, those who ask sincerely with the rectitude of conscience that rejects evil will receive the clarity of wisdom, which directs the rational power of the soul. Second, those who ask judiciously with the discerning prudence that chooses the good will receive the precious gift of grace, which enriches the concupiscible power of the soul. Third, those who ask trustingly with the certitude of confidence that awaits the future blessings will receive the solidity of steadfastness, which strengthens the irascible power of the soul. Thus through these three gifts, all the powers of the soul are configured to the blessed Trinity.
7. First, you will receive the clarity of wisdom then that guides the rational power of the soul. Whence Proverbs 8:10 says: Receive my discipline and not money, for the doctrine you choose is greater than treasure; wisdom is better than all riches, and anything considered desirable cannot be compared to it. Since the word of doctrine is vain without the example of life, and the example of life is little without the teaching of doctrine, but the two together are perfect;** it says, therefore: receive, first the discipline of life and later magisterial doctrine. Intelligible doctrine and a disciplined life must be preferred to all riches, because these earthly riches do not illuminate.
454 Bonaventure paraphrases Bernard of Clairvaux. See SBOp 5.178: "Indeed to only shine is vain, to only burn is insufficient: to burn and shine is perfect."
THE SUNDAY SERMONS OF ST. BONAVENTURE
Quite to the contrary, they weaken and blind the eyes of the avaricious mind to such a degree that it confuses the darkness with light. Whence Seneca .observes: "Riches puff up the soul, give birth to pride, bring forth envy, and so alienate the mind that harmful things delight us."*°°
Wise doctrine however illuminates and guides the soul so perfectly that it recognizes how great the distance is between the darkness of sin and the light of grace, such that it knows how to reject evil and choose the good.*"®
8. Second, you will receive the precious gift of grace that enriches the concupiscible power of the soul. Whence
Romans 5:17 says: As you receive the abundance of grace and gift and justice, you will reign in life. You receive the abundance of grace, in the benign adoption, the gift, in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit's charismata, and justice, in the promotion of good works, and enriched with the abundance of virtues and good works, you will reign, as heirs and kings of the heavenly kingdom, in the life of glory.
9. Third, you will receive the solidity of steadfastness that strengthens the irascible power of the soul. Whence
Ephesians 6:13 says: Take the armor of God so you may resist in the day of evil. Indeed human frailty, once the knowledge of faith and sanctification of God have been obtained, is unable to resist with perseverance, unless it is strengthened by the virtue of steadfastness. Whence human infirmity weakens with timid fear while antici- *° See Letter 87 n. 31 in Seneca ad Lucilium Epistulae morales, vol. 2, translated by Richard M. Gummere, LCL (London: William
Heinemann, 1930), 340: "They puff up the spirit and beget pride, they bring on unpopularity and unsettle the mind to such an extent that the mere reputation of having wealth, though it is bound to harm us, nevertheless affords delight."
456 See Isa 7:15.
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pating the future and confrontation with difficult matters, the anchor of hope is shattered, and a shipwreck occurs;**' therefore, the apostle invites humanity to take hold of the armor of steadfastness and fortitude; namely, divine assistance, by which they are strengthened and protected, so they are able to easily resist in the day of evil and persevere in every good work. Let the storms of envy rage then, because the deceptions of the demons are put to flight through the strength of this armor, because the violent actions of the Egyptians are confounded by the cover of this assistance, because the plagues of spiritual enemies are submerged by the fortitude of this patron.
10. Finally, the efficacy and complete perfection of the gift is noted, when it includes: that your joy might be complete. We will experience then the useful efficacy of complete perfection when, in accordance with the previously explained and accepted gift of grace, we receive the triple joy of glory, because all other joys can be referred back to this full and perfect joy. First, those who accept the clarity of illuminating wisdom will truly rejoice before the open vision of the first truth. Second, those who accept the precious gift of enriching grace will sweetly rejoice in the quiet enjoyment of supernatural delights. Third, those who accept the solidity of steadfast strength will perpetually rejoice in the firm possession of divine immutability. And full and perfect joy is found in these three dowries, which constitute the image of glory.
11. First, the saints will truly rejoice before the open vision of the first truth. Whence Psalm 15:11 says: You will fill me with happiness with the joy of your face. The soul will be filled with great happiness and joy when it
457 See Hebr 6:19: "This hope we have, as a sure and firm anchor of the soul, reaching even behind the veil."
THE SUNDAY SERMONS OF ST. BONAVENTURE
sees God face to face**® in this manner of seeing since it is without error, unlike the manner of seeing which is by means of a mirror and enigma. Whence Augustine in On the Trinity: "We will see the truth without any difficulty, and enjoy it with the greatest certainty and clarity. We will not seek anything with the discursive mind, but perceive with the contemplative mind."*? Isaiah 66:14 says something similar about this: You will see and your heart will rejoice.
12. Second, the saints will sweetly rejoice in the quiet enjoyment of supernatural delight. Whence Isaiah 66:10 states: Rejoice with Jerusalem, you who wept over her, so that you may drink and be filled from the breasts of her consolation. So may you be suckled and abound with delights. The more a person grieves with utmost desire over the separation from the heavenly Jerusalem, so much the more will one drink the greater sweetness of glory from the breasts of divine sweetness. This divine sweetness satisfies and permeates the soul that is not only satiated, but indeed inebriated and absorbed totally. Anselm writes: "He will enter into the joy of the Lord, for if he were to take hold of a great deal without being either overcome or absorbed, the appetite might arise to possess even more."*©° 13. Third, the saints will perpetually rejoice in the firm possession of divine immutability. Whence Isaiah 51:11 states: Eternal happiness will rest upon their
"8 See 1 Cor 13:12: "We see now through a mirror in an obscure manner, but then face to face."
49 See Book XV, c. 25 n. 45 in CCSL la, 523-524. The citation is verbatim.
"° Bonaventure is paraphrasing Proslogion, c. 26. See S. Anselmi Opera Omnia, I, edited by Franciscus Salesius Schmitt (Edinburgh:
Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1946), 121.
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heads, they will obtain joy and exultation. Whence such happiness will be eternal and joy everlasting, because the saints will be united at that time by an indissoluble bond of love to the greatest love and unchangeable good. And for this reason Christ said in John 16:22: No one will take your joy from you. Let us pray, therefore, etc.