Tuesday, October 8 : Saint Bonaventure

Christ is the treasure store of all grace for he is “filled with grace and truth” (Jn 1:14) and angels and humans receive from his fullness. He possesses the very source of fullness and, when he opens his hand, he fills all rational creatures with blessings. But this treasure store of graces is concealed beneath the veil of the sacrament of the altar. Is it not true that “the Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field”? (Mt 13:44). And is not the field, in this case, the sacrament of the body of Christ, gathered in the fields? In this field we possess a hidden treasure because all kinds of graces are hidden there. “The man who discovered it went away in his joy, sold all he possessed and bought it” (Mt 13:44). Someone who knows the wealth of this sacrament willingly renounces all other activity to freely give himself to participation and devotion towards this sacrament. He knows he will gain possession of eternal life according to the words of the Lord: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life” (Jn 6:55). The treasure of all glory exists in Christ. All the glory possessed by both angels and men who are to be saved until the day of judgement, whether it be glory of body or glory of soul, is drawn from that store of treasure. For that store is He, the one whose treasures go to great depths and who set the incomprehensible limits of his glory. And so he commands us to run to this treasure when he says: “Gather up treasure for yourselves in heaven” (Mt 6:20). This treasure is hidden beneath the veil of bread and wine that you might have the merit of faith. So may the Lord be praised for his mercies since he represented his Body to us beforehand under the image of heavenly treasure!

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team