Thursday, July 10 : Saint Bonaventure

One day while he was devoutly hearing a Mass of the Apostles, the Gospel was read in which Christ sends out his disciples to preach and gives them the Gospel form of life, that they may not keep “gold or silver or money in their belts, nor have a wallet for their journey, nor may they have two tunics, nor shoes, nor staff.” Hearing, understanding and committing this to memory, this friend of apostolic poverty was then overwhelmed with an indescribable joy. “This is what I want,” he said, “this is what I desire with all my heart!” Immediately, he took off the shoes from his feet. put down his staff, denounced his wallet and money, and, satisfied with one tunic, threw away his leather belt and put on a piece of rope for a belt. He directed all his heart’s desire to carry out what he had heard and to conform in every way to the rule of right living given to the apostles. Through divine prompting the man of God began to become a model of evangelical perfection and to invite others to penance. His statements were… filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, they penetrated the marrow of the heart, so that they moved those hearing them in stunned amazement. In all his preaching, he announced peace by saying: “May/he Lordgiveyou peace.” Thus he greeted the people at the beginning of his talk. As he later testified, he had learned this greeting by the Lord revealing it to him… Therefore, as the truth of the man of God’s simple teaching and life became known to many, some men began to be moved to penance and, abandoning all things, joined him in habit and life.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team