MEMORIAL OF ST BONAVENTURE OFM, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH.

MEMORIAL OF ST BONAVENTURE OFM, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH.

His name shall be Moses.

"A certain man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, who conceived and bore a son. Seeing that he was a goodly child, she hid him for three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took a papyrus basket, daubed it with bitumen and pitch, and putting the child in it, placed it among the reeds on the river bank. His sister stationed herself at a distance to find out what would happen to him.

"Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the river to bathe, while her maids walked along the river bank. Noticing the basket among the reeds, she sent her handmaid to fetch it. On opening it, she looked, and lo, there was a baby boy, crying! She was moved with pity for him and said, “It is one of the Hebrews’ children.”

"Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” “Yes, do so,” she answered.

"So the maiden went and called the child’s own mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will repay you.” The woman therefore took the child and nursed it.

"When the child grew, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her son and called him Moses; for she said, “I drew him out of the water.”

"On one occasion, after Moses had grown up, when he visited his kinsmen and witnessed their forced labor, he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own kinsmen. Looking about and seeing no one, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

"The next day he went out again, and now two Hebrews were fighting! So he asked the culprit, “Why are you striking your fellow Hebrew?” But the culprit replied, “Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?”

"Then Moses became afraid and thought, “The affair must certainly be known.”

"Pharaoh, too, heard of the affair and sought to put him to death. But Moses fled from him and stayed in the land of Midian." (Exodus 2: 1 - 15 a).

Tuesday 15th July 2025 in the 15th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Bonaventure, OFM.

St Bonaventure (1221 - 1274). Italian. Franciscan, Bishop, Cardinal and Doctor of the Church.

Bonaventure is known as the Seraphic Doctor because of his mastery of mystical theology. He became friends with St Thomas Aquinas, OP another doctor of the Church in the University of Paris.

St Bonaventure who succeeded St Francis of Assisi as the Superior General of the Franciscans, wrote the first detailed biography of the great saint.

St Bonaventure, a great man of God by all standards was a very meek and humble man. Although Superior General of the Franciscans for 17 years, Cardinal of the Church, eminent Theologian and Professor of Theology at the University of Paris and later to become one of the 37 Doctors of the Church, Bonaventure is childlike in character."

Our key Scripture for this Tuesday is from Exodus 2.

There are a number of beautiful points in this narrative. Let us note first that Moses is the greatest personality in the Hebrew Scriptures.

We have noted how God's mighty, merciful and mysterious Providence confound us. Let us note the surprising elements in the background of Moses and his early manhood.

Moses' father and mother were not named.
Moses was raised by Pharaoh's daughter but apparently Moses knew he was a Hebrew.
Moses had political and tribal instincts.

These traits and others will fit him for his high vocation.

As we have seen from the Book of Genesis in the lives of the Patriarchs, God governs the world through His Divine Providence.
All things are possible for God. All things are Easy for God. We shall see as the life of Moses unfolds, the mysterious and marvelous steps of Divine Providence in guiding Moses to his great vocation.

We honor the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ in July.

"Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness.
Save us.
Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls,
Save us.
Blood of Christ, stream of mercy,
Save us.
Blood of Christ, victor over demons,
Save us.
Blood of Christ, courage of Martyrs,
Save us." (Litany of the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ).

For Devotion, Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ and other prayers, click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/04/devotion-to-most-precious-blood-of.html?m=1