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.
Additamentum.
This is a certain meditation made rhythmically by brother Bonaventure, General of the Order of Friars Minor, on the works of our Lord Jesus Christ, in which he begins to describe him according to his eternal generation as to four most noble conditions, namely of essence, wisdom, power and goodness. And these are held in order in the verse itself. Then he describes him as promised to the Patriarchs, prefigured by the Prophets, as conceived and as born, and from this in order the whole course of his life as to its notable deeds, unto the distribution of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. But he prefixes one little verse signifying the cross, from the watering of the fountain, the adorning of the flower, the fertilizing of the most excellent fruit. Which fountain, flower and fruit is the Lord Jesus Christ, whose noble qualities are declared in what follows, and they are seventy-two in all. And he willed that a certain chant be made there, by which it could be sung after the manner of a song. Whence by the first little verse all are sung in two choirs alternately, and to each the other half of the first verse is answered, according as the end of the chant accords. But in the last verse he turns to the voice of prayer, that through Christ described above the cross itself may be for true Christians the beginning of life, the progress of life and the consummation of glory. But here Jesus Christ crucified is described under the figure of a certain tree, first as to the root or beginning, second as to the trunk or progress, third as to the branching or consummation, at Jesus, foreseeing the future, fourth as to the fruiting, at Jesus, rescuing captives.
O cross, saving shoot,
watered by the living fountain,
whom the radiant flower adorns,
the most gracious fruit makes fertile.
Jesus, begotten of the Father,
Jesus, the sealed book,
Jesus, Lord of all,
Jesus, longed for. ℟. O crux etc.
Jesus, promised to the Fathers,
Jesus, prefigured,
Jesus, sent from heaven,
Jesus, born of Mary. ℟. Quem etc.
Jesus, placed under the Law,
Jesus, shown to the Magi,
Jesus, ransomed as a little child,
Jesus, as an infant driven into flight. ℟. O crux etc.