The Sunday Sermons of St. Bonaventure

Sermon 30: Third Sunday after Pentecost

penTecoST and The SundayS afTer 337 sermon 30: Third sunday afTer PenTeCosT [Sermon] 1. There will be joy among the angels of God over one sinner who does penance. Luke 15:10. Since charity consists in rejoicing in the good of another, here in this proposed verse the Lord displays, among the heavenly spirits, who are filled with the fullness of charity, the joy of the angels at the conversion of a sinner, when it says: There is joy among the angels of God, etc. So that we may proceed in an orderly manner in regard to this verse, first the misery of human infirmity is presented, second the efficacy of the sacramental medicine506 is added, and third the happiness of the heavenly city is included. And these three things have to be so ordered; for the spiritual infirmity of a person precedes the efficacy of the penitential medicine, and penitence or conversion of the sinner, as the motivating cause, precedes the joy of the angels. First, therefore, is the misery of human infirmity presented in the proposed verse, when it says: over one sinner ; this sinner is the same as the one who is spiritually infirm. Second, the efficacy of the penance, when it adds: who does penance; indeed penance, which is spoken of as a sacrament, is a type of spiritual medicine that cures the spirit of any infirmity much better than a material medicine cures the body. Third, as a consequence of these, the happiness of the heavenly city is added, when it includes: joy among the angels of God. 506 On the medicinal nature of the sacraments, see IV Sent, prooemium (IV, 1a-3b). The Sunday SermonS of ST. BonavenTure 338 2. It says, therefore: over one sinner, where it notes the misery of human infirmity. A person incurs, then, this spiritual infirmity, which makes one miserable in a threefold manner in accord with the sin committed against three goods. Every sin, generally speaking, is against God, against neighbor, or against oneself. One incurs, then, this spiritual infirmity, first, through the haughtiness of mental pride that provokes God, second, through falling into carnal lewdness that depraves one’s own self, third, through the hatred of an evil heart that offends the neighbor. 3. First, a person is made spiritually infirm or a sinner through the haughtiness of mental pride that provokes God. Whence 1 John 3:8 says: One who commits sin is from the devil, because the devil sins from the beginning . To this end the Son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of the devil for humanity, because the one who commits sin is from the devil, not by creation, but by imitation; indeed he reigns over all the children of pride,507 because the devil sins from the beginning with the sin of pride, as pride is the beginning of all sin.508 To this end the Son of God appeared, visibly assuming the slime of our mortality in the unity of the divine person, that he might destroy the prideful works of the devil through his humility. It is truly shameful that humanity, comprised of dust and works, prides itself in that which made Christ, the King of kings, humble. Whence Augustine states: “We have the example of humility, the medicine against pride. What makes you puff up, O man? O deathly skin, to what do you reach? O fetid bloody matter, what inflames 507 See Job 41:25: “He beholds every high thing. He reigns over all the children of pride.” 508 See Sir 10:15. penTecoST and The SundayS afTer 339 you?”509 Your prince is humble and you are proud, “The head is humble and the member is proud,” as if to say: This is exceedingly reprehensible. 4. Second, a person is made a sinner or spiritually infirm by falling into carnal lewdness that depraves one’s own self. Whence 1 Corinthians 6:18 says: Flee immorality . Every sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the immoral person sins against one’s own body. It is well said in fact: Flee immorality, do not resist, because the vice of lewdness is better conquered by fleeing than by resisting. Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; Gloss: “without contaminating the soul;”510 but the immoral person sins against one’s own body; Gloss: “Certain sins contaminate the soul,”511...