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Bonaventure’s Commentary on Luke’s Gospel Thirty Days of Reflection and Prayer 16 Day Five: Read and meditate on Luke 4:16-30 Luke 4:18: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the gospel to the poor.” Bonaventure tells us: The text notes the fittingness of Christ’s testimony to the people, for it gives expression to four notes of excellence which were in our Savior. He is mediator, teacher, restorer, and rewarder…. It is indicated that he is a teacher by the spiritual power of his preaching: He has sent me to bring the gospel to the poor. For Gospel is good news…. And this is in agreement with what Nahum 1:15 reads: ‘Behold, upon the mountains are the feet of the one who preaches the gospel and brings the good news of peace.’ And Isaiah 52:7 has: ‘How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the one bringing good news and preaching peace, announcing good news and preaching salvation.’ Now it is said that he is to preach this good news especially to the poor, because he began by preaching to the poor. Matthew 5:3 says: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit.’ And he preached poverty to others through the poor. Matthew 11:5 reads: ‘The poor have the good news preached to them.’ Do not wonder, then, that it is said in the Psalm:‘Because of the misery of the needy and the groans of the poor, I will now arise,’ etc. (11:6). To these now he announces salvation because it says in another place: ‘He will spare the poor and the needy, and he will save the souls of the poor’ (Psalm 71:13). And therefore, it is said that he is sent by the Spirit and by the Lord. Isaiah 48:16 says: ‘Just as the Lord and his Spirit have sent me.’ Therefore, by this have we known ‘the love of God’ because ‘he has sent his Son,’ as 1 John 4 says. 17 Reflection In his interpretation of Simeon’s canticle Bonaventure also mentioned four characteristics of Jesus the Savior. He is mediator, redeemer, teacher, and rewarder. In his Preface to Luke’s Gospel Bonaventure takes as his text Isaiah 61:1 and says in n. 17: “It is certain that all of evangelical history concerns Christ, either in as far as he is mediator or preacher or restorer or conqueror. Mediator refers to the mystery of the incarnation. Preacher refers to magisterial teaching. Restorer refers to the remedy of the passion. Conqueror refers to the triumph of the resurrection. The first refers to Christ’s nature; the second to doctrine; the third to sacrifice; the fourth to victory.” In my quotation from Luke’s account of Jesus at his hometown synagogue at Nazareth I have limited my selection of Bonaventure’s four characteristics to that of teacher. By this time we readers should not be surprised that Luke stresses Jesus’ teaching of the poor and that Bonaventure follows him. Indeed, this is Jesus’ inaugural sermon, providing an outline of his future ministry. Jesus not only brings good news to the poor, but proclaims release to captives, gives sight to the blind, liberates the oppressed, and proclaims the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of recompense. Prayer St. Bonaventure, I admire your artistry of alliteration as you present Jesus, our mediator, redeemer, teacher, and rewarder . Help me improve my communication skills in preaching the Gospel. Help me especially to respond generously to your Spirit, so that I might become more Gospel-like and a true friend of the poor. ...

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