Ongoing Translation Series: The Threefold Way of St. Bonaventure, Part III

Donald P. Goodman III

The great saint Bonaventure wrote many powerful works, but one that I have seen rarely examined, and even more rarely (if ever) translated, is The Threefold Way, subtitled incendium amoris, The Fire of Love. This short work (only twenty-five pages in the Latin, much less with footnotes removed) explores the threefold spiritual life: the purgative, the illuminative, and the contemplative ways. This series will be an ongoing translation project, in which we will English the saint's nobly simple Latin, for the benefit of all.

It is ongoing, and thus is necessarily a draft; if something sounds funny, please consult the Latin! And then let me know if I've gotten something wrong.

This installment: the beginning of the second chapter: on prayer.

If this is new to you, start with Part I and Part II; then read this, and proceed to Part IV and Part V.

Chapter II: On prayer, by which misery is bewailed, mercy is begged, and worship is presented

1. After we have said in what way, by reading and meditation, one comes to true wisdom; it must be said, in what way one comes to the same by praying. And it must be known, that in prayer there are three steps or parts. The first is the bewailing of misery; the second, the begging of mercy; third, the show of worship. For we cannot show the honor of worship to God, unless we pursue grace by Him; and we cannot bend the mercy of God to the giving of grace except through bewailing and showing our misery and neediness. For all perfect prayer must have these three parts: for one does not suffice without the others, nor can it lead through to the perfect goal, and therefore these three things must always be joined together.

§ 1 On the threefold bewailing of misery

2. And the bewailing of misery, concerning any misery whatever, happens either because of the accomplishment of fault, the loss of grace, or the delay of glory; it ought to have these three things, namely sorrow, shame, and fear. Sorrow, because of the punishment or setback; shame, because of reproach or degradation; and fear, because of the danger or guilt. For from the memory of past things rises sorrow, when it is remembered what one omitted because of the commands of justice; what one has committed, because of the hindrance of fault; what one has lost, because of the freeness of life. — From understanding of present things arises shame, when one pays attention to where one is, because what had been near the highest thing is now so far below; what type of thing one is, because what had been a beautiful image is filthy in the mud; what one is, because what had been free is now a slave. — From foreknowledge of future things arises fear, while one thinks about to what one reaches, because her steps go in as far as hell (Prov. 5:5); what one will meet, because judgment is inevitable, but just; what will follow, because it is the wages of eternal death.

§ 2 On the threefold begging of mercy

3. The begging of mercy is invoked concerning any grace whatever; it ought to be with an abundance of desire, which we have from the Holy Spirit, Who asketh for us with unspeakable groanings (Rom. 8:26); with the trust of hope, which we have from Christ, Who died for us all; with diligence of begging for help, which we seek from the saints and all good men. Therefore, we have the first from the Holy Spirit, because through Him by the Father in the Son we are predestined eternally, reborn spiritually in baptism, and gathered harmoniously in the Church. — We have the second from Christ, who offered Himself for us on the Cross on earth, appears before the face of God the Father in heaven in glory, and is offered in the Sacrament by mother Church. — We have the third from the followship of the saints, namely by the protection of the ministering angels, by the aid of the triumphant blessed, and by the merits of the militant just. And when these three aforesaid things run together, then the divine mercy is begged effectually.

§ 3 On the threefold show of worship

4. The show of worship, from whatever grace God is honored, ought to have these three things. For at first, on account of grace having been obtained, our heart ought to be bent to the reverence and adoration of God; second, it ought to be widened to goodwill and an act of thanks; third, it ought to be raised up to pleasing and mutual speech, which is of the Bridegroom and bride, whom the Holy Spirit teaches in the Song of Songs; in which, if it is done in the right order, there is a wonderful exultation and rejoicing, to such a degree that it leads the soul into excess and makes it to say: It is good that we are here (Mt. 17:4). And our prayer ought to be ended here; it should not be stopped, until it enters into the place of the wonderful tabernacle even unto the house of God, where there is the sound of the voice of exultation and feasting.

5. That thou mightst be bent to reverence, wonder at the divine immensity and consider thine own smallness. That thou mightst be widened to goodwill, look to the divine kindness and see thine own unworthiness. That thou mightst be elevated to being pleasing, think upon the divine charity and consider thine own lukewarmness, that from this kind of comparison thou mightst come to the excess of mind.

6. And it must be known, that we ought to show reverence to God in a threefold way: first, as to a Father, by Whom we are formed, reformed, and educated. Second, as to a Lord, by Whom we are plucked from the mouth of the enemy, redeemed from the prison of hell, and led into the vineyard of the Lord. Third, as to a Judge, before Whom we are accused, convicted, confessed; the cry of the conscience accuses, the evidence of life convicts, the gaze of the divine wisdom confesses; whence, a sentence against us by law should be brought forth. Indeed, the first reverence should be great, the second greater, the third greatest. When the first is in the way of tendency; the second, by way of genuflexion; the third, by way of prostration. In the first, we throw ourselves under; in the second, we throw ourselves down; in the third, we throw ourselves away. In the first we think ourselves small; in the second the least; in the third, nothing.

7. In the same way, we ought to show goodwill to God in a threefold way; that is, great, greater, and greatest. Great, in considering our unworthiness; greater, in considering the magnitude of grace; greatest, in considerating the immensity of His mercy. In other words, the great because of things committed; the greater because of things forgiven; the greatest because of things promised. In other words, the great for the filling out of nature; the greater for the garments of grace; the greatest for the gifts of superabundance. In the first the heart is widened or extended, in the second it is opened, in the third it is poured out; according to that in the Book of Lamentations: pour out thy heart like water (Lam. 2:19).

8. Pleasingness, truly, we ought to let flow to God in a threefold way: first, that our pleasingness may be so joined together to God, that it pleases each one that God alone pleases Himself; second, that it pleases him that he pleases God alone; third, that it pleases him, that others share in this pleasingness. The first is great; the second greater; the third greatest. In the first is love freely given; in the second is love owed; in the third is love mixed from both. In the first, the world is crucified to man, in the second man to the world, in the third man is crucified for the world, that he might wish to die for everyone, that they also might please God. — And this is the state and level of perfect charity, before the obtaining of which no one can think himself perfect. And then he will obtain this perfection, when he finds the heart not only willing, but even eager to die for the salvation of his neighbors, according to which Paul saith: I most gladly will spend and be spent myself for your souls (2Cor 12:15). He will not come to this perfect love of neighbor, unless he first come to the perfect love of God, on account of Whom the neighbor is loved, who is not lovable except on account of God.