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Bonaventure’s Commentary on Luke’s Gospel Thirty Days of Reflection and Prayer 8 Day One: Read and meditate on Luke 1:26-38 Luke 1:38: “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done to me according to your word.” Bonaventure tells us: Her voice is most pleasant to humans, angels, and her Spouse who sought her as The Song of Songs 2:14 says: “Let your voice sound in my ears since your voice is pleasant and your countenance beautiful.” St. Bernard of Clairvaux comments : “This is what she did when she said to the angel: ‘Be it done to me according to your word’: The Word, which was in the beginning with God, became flesh of my flesh, according to your word.” And Bernard continues: “May your word be done for me … not as a word which is spoken and is gone, but a word which I conceive and remains. Let the word not only be audible to the ears, but also visible to my eyes, able to be handled by my hands, and carried on my shoulders, so that he may carry me by the word of his power.” Quoting from Hebrews 1:1, Bernard remarks: “Indeed, ‘God, who, at sundry times and in diverse manners, spoke in times past to the patriarchs through the prophets,’ and spoke to others in the heart, to others in what they heard, to others by word of mouth, to others through visions, and to others by gestures. But to me, I pray, let it be done according to your word. I do not want it to be done through a word that is splendidly preached, or figuratively signified, or wondrously dreamt, but through the silently inspired word, the personally incarnated word, the word that takes flesh in bodily form – ‘And the Word became flesh.’” And if it is done in this way, then I will be able to say to you what the woman of Zarephath said to Elijah in 1 Kings 17:24: “Now I know that you are a man of God, and the word of God that comes from your mouth is true.” 9 Reflection In his Commentary on Luke’s Gospel St. Bonaventure cites St. Bernard of Clairvaux hundreds of times. They were on the same wave length theologically and spiritually. They both enjoyed word play and spoke to the heart. In his commentary on Luke 1:38 Bonaventure does not stress Mary’s humble obedience. Rather he spotlights her as the Mother of God’s Word. Mary is God’s spouse. Her word makes possible the incarnation of the Word. She is not content to hear or see the Word, but wants to handle the Word with her hands and carry the Word on her shoulder. As he does so often, Bonaventure interprets Luke by other Scripture passages. Here he quotes directly from the enchanting love song called The Song of Songs, Hebrews, and 1 Kings. Behind the scenes he is also quoting the Prologue of John’s Gospel, especially, “The Word became flesh.” Bonaventure does not address those in ivory towers. Instead he aims his word, the word of Scripture, like a dart into readers’ hearts. It is small wonder that his Commentary on Luke was so popular among preachers for centuries after his death. Prayer Hail Mary, full of grace, the Word is with you. Let us, in imitation of you, be eager to accept the Word into our lives – not as a mere word that is dispersed by the wind, but as a Word that became flesh for us and is a word for the world through our works and words in his name. ...

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