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St. Bonaventure
Eucharistic
Quotes:
"Lord Jesus Christ, pierce my soul with your love
so that I may always long for you alone, who are the bread of angels and
the fulfillment of the soul's deepest desires. May my heart always
hunger for you, so that soul may be filled with the sweetness of your
presence"
- Saint Bonaventure
"Christ is both the way and the door. Christ is
the staircase and the vehicle, like the throne of mercy over the Ark of
the Covenant, and the mystery hidden from the ages. A man should turn
his full attention to this throne of mercy, and should gaze at him
hanging on the cross, full of faith, hope and charity, devoted, full of
wonder and joy, marked by gratitude, and open to praise and jubilation.
Then such a man will make with Christ a pasch, that is, a passing-over.
Through the branches of the cross he will pass over the Red Sea, leaving
Egypt and entering the desert. There he will taste the hidden manna, and
rest with Christ in the sepulcher, as if he were dead to things outside.
He will experience, as much as is possible for one who is still living,
what was promised to the thief who hung beside Christ: Today you will be
with me in paradise,"
- St. Bonaventure
Sweetest Lord Jesus Christ, pierce the depths of my
soul with the most
joyous and life-giving wound of Your love, with true, serene, holy and
apostolic charity, that my heart may ever yearn for You, and melt with
genuine
love, and long for You; that it may desire You, sigh for Your heavenly
home,
and earnestly yearn to become as nothing in order to be with You.
Grant that my soul may hunger for You, the Bread of
Angels, the
Refreshment of holy souls, our daily and ever-satisfying Bread, which
contains all possible sweetness. Let my heart ever hunger after
You
and feed upon You, upon whom the angels desire to gaze, and may my whole
soul be
filled with Your sweetness. May it ever thirst for You, the
Fountain
of eternal light, the Torrent of pleasure, the Richness of the House of
God. May it ever yearn for You, seek You, find You, stretch
towards You,
reach You, meditate upon You, speak of You, and do all things for the
praise
and glory of Your holy Name, with humility and prudence, with love and
delight, with willingness, affection and perseverance.
Be ever my hope and my whole confidence, my riches,
my delight, my
pleasure, and my joy. Be my rest, my peace, my sweetness and my
delight. Be my spiritual enjoyment, my food and refreshment.
Be my refuge and my
help, my wisdom, my reward, my possession, and my treasure, in whom my
mind
and my heart may ever remain fixed and firm now and forever. Amen.
(St. Bonaventure)
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