Lignum vitae

Bonaventure

Lignum vitae

Bonaventure (1217–1274)

Bonaventure's Lignum vitae (Tree of Life): forty-eight meditations on the life, passion, and glorification of Christ, ordered as twelve fruits on a mystical tree, with a closing prayer for the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Latin: Quaracchi critical text; English: new ScholaThomistica translation.

Prologue

Fructus I: Fruit I. The Glory of His Origin.

Fructus II: Fruit II. Humility in His Way of Life.

Fructus III: Fruit III. Sublimity of Virtue.

Fructus IV: Fruit IV. Fullness of Piety.

Fructus V: Fruit V. Confidence in Dangers.

Fructus VI: Fruit VI. Patience under Insults.

Fructus VII: Fruit VII. Constancy under Torments.

Fructus VIII: Fruit VIII. Victory in the Struggle of Death.

Fructus IX: Fruit IX. Newness of Resurrection.

Fructus X: Fruit X. Sublimity of Ascension.

Fructus XI: Fruit XI. Justice of Judgment.

Fructus XII: Fruit XII. Eternity of the Kingdom.

Prayer for Obtaining the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

  1. We pray therefore the most merciful Father through you, his Only-begotten made man for us, crucified and glorified, that from his treasures he may send forth upon us the sevenfold Spirit of grace, who rested upon you in all fullness: the spirit, I say, of wisdom, by which we may taste the life-giving savors of the fruit of the tree of life, which truly you are; also the gift of understanding, by which the gaze of our mind may be enlightened; the gift of counsel, by which, following the footsteps of your steps, we may walk in the ways of straight paths; the gift of fortitude, by which we may weaken the violence of assailing enemies; the gift of knowledge, by which we may be filled with the splendors of your sacred doctrine for the discernment of good and evil; the gift of piety, by which we may put on the bowels of mercy; the gift of fear, by which, departing from all evil, we may be made tranquil by the reverential weight of your eternal Majesty. For you willed that we should ask these things in that holy prayer of yours which you taught us; and these we now ask to obtain through your cross, to the praise of your most holy name, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all honor and glory, thanksgiving, beauty and dominion through endless ages of ages. Amen.

Additamentum.

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