c Kit- Trung Tm Trong T Tng ca Thnh Bonaventura VietCatholic News (16 Nov 2009 22:24) C KIT - TRUNG TM TRONG

T TNG CA THNH BONAVENTURA 1.DN NHP Vai tr ca c Kit trong lch s cu l mt ti Kit hc c nhiu nh thn hc quan tm bi v n c mt ngha rt quan trng trong i sng c tin ca ngi Kit hu. Hn na, tm hiu vai tr c Kit trong chng trnh to dng v cu ca Thin Cha cng l cch m con ngi khm ph cc mu nhim chnh ca nim tin Kit gio. Nhn vo thn hc Kit gio trong hn hai mi th k qua, chng ta thy ty theo quan im v li tip cn khc nhau, cc nh thn hc t c ch kim c nhng cu tr li khc nhau v vai tr trung gian ca c Kit. Thc vy, bng ti nng v nhn quan ring ca mi nh thn hc, vn ny c gii thch di nhng cch thc khc nhau, nhm lm phong ph thm s hiu bit v mu nhim ca c Kit, ng va l Thin Cha va l con ngi. Trong bi ny, ngi vit tr v vi thn hc Phan sinh tm hiu quan im Kit hc ca thnh Bonaventura; vi mong mun hiu bit hn v quan im ca mt v thnh trong dng, ng thi cng m lng mnh ra cho nh sch mu nhim chiu ri, hu cng c nim tin v nim hy vng vo c Gisu Kit, Vua tnh yu. 2. C KIT - TRUNG TM TRONG T TNG CA THNH BONAVENTURA Qua cc tc phm ca thnh Bonavetura, chng ta nhn thy ngi l mt bc thy li lc v thn hc. S ng gp ca ngi cho khoa thn hc c mt tm nh hng khng ch trn phong tro Phan sinh, nhng cn trn nn thn hc ca Gio hi. Tt c cng lao ca ngi c hun quyn nhn bng cch phong thnh cho ngi v tn ngi ln hng tin s Hi thnh. Ngy nay, nu chng ta chim ngm thn hc ca Bonaventura nh mt bc tranh hon m, th Kit hc l nt v iu luyn v c o ca ngi trong bc tranh y mu sc y. Cn tc gi Ewart Cousins th v von rt hay v thn hc ca thnh tin s: Thn hc ca Bonaventura ging nh nh th chnh to Logic. Hai ngn thp Cha Ba Ngi v Cha Kit lin kt vi nhau trong nhng ct nh nhn loi v th to cao vt. Nu ly i hai ngn thp ny, nhn tnh s b sp . Khng c Cha Ba Ngi th khng c Cha Kit. Cha Ba Ngi v Cha Kit cng gn gi to nh v i[1]. Thc th, vi ci nhn tinh t, thnh nhn mun ni kt c Ba Ngi v v tr to thnh trong c Kit. *c Kit trung tm ca mu nhim Thin Cha Ba Ngi Theo thnh Bonaventura c Kit va gia Thin Cha v th gii, nhng ng thi Ngi cng va trong Thin Cha v trong th gii. Cc tc phm ca thnh Tin S Ch i cp n mi quan tm ny. Bi ging nh nht trong Hexamenron, thnh Bonaventura gii thch r quan im c Kit trung tm: Trung tm ca bn th trong s Pht Sinh Vnh Hng; Trung tm ca thin nhin trong Nhp Th; Trung tm ca tm rng trong Kh Nn; Trung tm ca hc thuyt trong Phc Sinh; Trung tm ca s t ch trong Thng Thin; Trung tm ca cng bnh trong Phn xt chung; Trung tm ca ho hp trong phc tht v cng v tn.[2] y l mt ci nhn tng qut, gip chng ta i su vo tng vn c th ca ti c Kit - trung tm.

Nu thnh Tma Aquin bn n vai tr trung gian ca c Kit trong phm vi cu chuc, n ti, th thnh Bonaventura li hng vai tr trung gian ny ti mt phm vi rng li hn. Rt c th, quan im ny c gi hng t kinh nghim ca thnh Phanxic v c Kit: Nu c Kit ng vai tr trng tm ca mi cm nghim trong cuc sng ca thnh Phanxic, th Ngi s l tm im thn hc trong nn tng siu hnh ca Bonavetura[3]. Ht nhn ca nn Kit hc l c Kit trung tm, m trung tm u tin l trung tm ca mu nhim Ba Ngi, trong t cch l Ngi Li vnh cu. Thnh Bonavetura khi u thn hc vi mu nhim Thin Cha Ba Ngi ca mc khi Kit gio. Trong tng quan Ngi v th Cha Cha l ng Bt to v l ngun khi ca i sng Ba Ngi. T tro trn mt ngun sui chan cha s tt lnh v thin ho. Theo thuyt Lan ta th tnh yu sung mn t n i hi phi c mt s trao ban hay hin thn trn vn mt cch v bin; Cha Cha l Tnh yu tuyt i, i hi phi c mt s trao ban chnh mnh tuyt i, t nhim xut Cha Con: T mun thu Cha sinh ra Con ging nh chnh Ngi v t hin chnh Ngi mt s tng t nh chnh Ngi, v nh th ngi t hin tt c quyn nng ca ngi[4]; V tnh yu gia Cha Con lm pht sinh Cha Thnh Thn l tnh yu ni kt cng on Ba Ngi, Ngi ng bn tnh v quyn nng nh hai ngi kia. Trong mu nhim Ba Ngi, c Kit c mt vai tr trung tm ni kt mi hot ng ca cc Ngi v: Ngi Li l mu nhim Ba Ngi, v trong cu trc hc thuyt Ba Ngi ca thnh Bonavetura, mu nhim Nhp Th l cng trnh ca Ba Ngi Thin Cha (Hex, 9.2). Nhng suy t su sc ny c tm thy trong cc tc phm thn b ca ngi, trong ngi nhn thc rng tt c mu nhim Thin Cha Ba Ngi c biu l qua mu nhim Ngi Li Nhp Th[5]. Theo thnh Bonaventura th khi nim trung tm c mt ch ng quan trng trong cu trc ca Ngi Li, v Ngi Li ni hai cc vo mt trung tm. V theo chiu ngang cng nh chiu dc, mu nhim Thin Cha Ba Ngi l tnh yu hon ho c th hin nh Ngi Li l trung gian trung tm[6]. Cha Paul Brown rt c l khi cho rng: Thnh Bonaventura t Ngi Hai ti trung tm im ca s sng ca Ba Ngi, va n nhn tnh yu ca Cha Cha, va trao tr tnh yu cho Cha Cha, nh th pht ra cng vi Cha Cha mt tnh yu gn b c hai chnh l Cha Thnh Thn. V vy, Ngi v ti trung tm im ca Ba Ngi l Ngi v lm trung gian cho tt c mi hot ng ca Thin Cha qua cng cuc to thnh v qua lch s cu [7]. Tm li, c Kit trong t cch l Ngi Li vnh cu l trung tm lan ta trong mu nhim Ba Ngi, v Ngi din t tt c nhng g Cha sinh ra Con ging nh chnh Ngi v nhng g Ngi thc hin, v nh th Ngi tr nn m mu cho tt c nhng g Cha Cha to nn. * c Kit l trung tm gia Thin Cha v to thnh Trong quan im v Kit hc, thnh Bonaventura quan tm c bit n khi nim c Kit l m mu (Exemplar) ca to thnh. T , chng ta c th hiu rng theo Bonaventura th Thin Cha sng to th gii th to ny theo hnh nh ca Ngi Li, hay Ngi Li l m mu tuyt vi nht Thin Cha sng to th gii vn vt. Thnh Bonaventura cp n im ny trong tc phm Hexaermeron: Cn phi khi u t trung tm, tc l Cha KitT trc v cng Cha Cha sinh ra Cha Con ging nh mnh v t din t trong mt hu th ging nh mnh. Khi lm nh th Ngi bc l ton th quyn nng ca mnh; Ngi bc l nhng g Ngi c th lm, v nhng g Ngi mun lm. Ngi bc l tt c nhng g c trong Ngi ni Cha Con, ng l chnh trung tm vn vt. [Hex. 1,10.13][8]. Vi khng nh ny, th thnh Bonaventura nhn nhn vai tr quan trng ca c Kit trong cng trnh to dng. Mi vt mi loi c hin hu l nh c Kit v hin hu trong Ngi.

Cn trong tc phm L trnh tm linh, thnh Bonaventura s dng cc kiu ni: Li bt to, Li nhp th v Li y Thn Kh ni v vai tr trung gian ca c Kit trong to thnh. Theo ngi, Verbum increatum (Li bt to) l ch v Cha Kit l nguyn mu, v trong Ngi, Thin Cha Cha din t bn thn mnh cng nh nhng g mnh nh lm hay mun lm. Nh vy, Ngi Li bt to l quyn sch c vit mt trong. K n, thnh nhn gi Ngi Li l Ars Patris (Ngh thut ca Thin Cha). Khi nim ny ng ngha vi Nguyn mu, mun din t Ngi Li l s khn ngoan v quyn nng, qua Cha Cha to dng nn vn vt. c Kit l ngun gc, mu mc ca vn vt: Ti nng ny l ngun gc, nguyn nhn v mu mc ca mi v p l nguyn mu chng nhng lm pht sinh mun loi m cn bo tn v phn loi chng[9]. Nh vy, to thnh c dng nn theo nhng nim v mu mc Cha Cha t ni Ngi Li, nn chng din t s hin hu ca Thin Cha tu theo cch thc hin hu ca chng trong cc vt tch, hnh nh. Du tch c trn cc s vt, nhng hnh nh ch c ni con ngi, v con ngi c dng ln theo hnh nh Thin Cha (St 1,27). V th, to thnh c gi l quyn sch vit mt ngoi phn nh s hin hu ca Thin Cha theo cc mc khc nhau, gip con ngi nhn ra Thin Cha v tr v vi Ngi. Tm li, thnh Bonaventura cao vai tr trung tm ca c Kit gia Thin Cha v to thnh, c Kit l m mu ca to thnh, nh Ngi m vn vt c hin hu. Trong s cc th to th con ngi l tc phm tuyt tc nht ca Thin Cha, nn c Kit li c mt vai tr trung tm rt c bit gia Thin Cha v con ngi. * c Kit l trung tm gia Thin Cha v con ngi T ch nhn nhn Sng to v Nhp th khng phi l hai thc ti tch bit nhau, nhng nh hai mt ca mt ng tin, thnh Bonaventura khai trin vai tr trung tm ca c Kit gia Thin Cha v con ngi. iu ny th hin trong sng to, nhp th v cu . Trong sng to, Thin Cha Cha to dng con ngi ging hnh nh Ngi v trong mu nhim nhp th c Kit l hnh nh trn y ca Thin Cha. Tuy nhin, mi tng qua gia con ngi v Thin Cha b rn nt bi ti li, nn cn phi c phc hi nh mt ng va l Cha va l ngi. i vi Bonaventura th mu nhim Nhp th l s phc hi tng quan nguyn tuyn gia Thin Cha v to thnh v iu c hon tt qua vic Ngi Li Nhp Th. Trong nhp th, thnh Bonaventura quan nim mu nhim nhp th l s trao ban hon ton ca Ngi Li, hu c th mc khi s tht v n sng trong mu nhim Nhp th, bn tnh thp hn ca chng ta c kt hp vi bn tnh thn linh. Nhp th l vic ch thn Thin Cha n vi con ngi trong c Kit, ng hu chng ta c th nhn bit, yu mn v chim ngng Ngi. i vi thnh Bonaventura th Nhp th l cng trnh cao qu nht ca Thin Cha, bi v ti li khng phi l l do duy nht khin Ngi Li nhp th. Nhng v nhiu mc ch khc nhau nh: l cng trnh ca Ba Ngi Thin Cha, nh Nhp th mu nhim Ba Ngi Thin Cha c t hin trong lch s nhn loi; s ton ho ca v tr cng l mc tiu ca nhp th, v Trng T phi ni k vi loi th to cui cng, nn Ngi Li thn linh phi ni kt vi nhn loi; khi cho th gii chim ngng Thin Cha l ng thng truyn chnh mnh qua mu nhim Nhp th, Ngi cng lm cho con ngi c chim ngi trong vnh cu; v sau cng Nhp th l khc phc ti li do con ngi gy ra v v th cn phi c Thin Cha - con ngi lm trung gian (x. Hayes, Hidden Center, 172 -173)[10]. i vi thnh Bonaventura, con ngi c mt v tr rt quan trng trong v tr to thnh, v c Kit khng ch l im hon thin, nhng Ngi cn l bn thit k, khun mu v hnh nh m con ngi c ku gi hng ti s hon thin thing ling, phi da vo khun c chnh mnh. Chnh im ny m mu nhim c Kit gp g mu nhim con ngi v ton th to thnh.

Nu mu nhim Vt qua l nh cao trong cuc i ca Cha Gisu v l trung tm ca i sng Kit hu, th vai tr trung tm ca c Kit gia Thin Cha v con ngi cng c th hin r nt hn. Ta thy, trong tc phm L trnh tm linh, thnh Bonaventura m t chng cui ca cuc hnh trnh, con ngi phi vt qua th gii kh gic t n thc ti thn linh, c Kit tr thnh v trung gian duy nht: Ngi l ng v l ca, l thang v l xe; Ngi l np x ti t trn hm bia Thin Cha v l mu nim c gi kn t mun thu.[11] y, thnh nhn tin rng, nh vic chim ngng c Kit chu ng inh, vi lng tin, cy, mn, vi lng sng knh ngng m, vui mng vi lng tn knh, ngi khen, hoan h, th con ngi cng vi c Kit tri qua cuc vt qua cui cng t ti nim hnh phc vnh ca trong Thin Cha. Tm li, theo thnh Bonaventura th ch qua c Kit, Ngi Li nhp th, con ngi i din v gi trong mnh ton b trt t t nhin c to thnh. Nh , con ngi tm thy li chn l ca mi thc ti khi noi gng c Kit, Ngi Li v S Khn Ngoan ca Thin Cha. Ngy ngay, khi chng ta cng tc, hc hi v chim ngm c Kit, di theo s v, nhng li gio hun v cc vic lm ca Ngi, v nht l tham d vo cuc Kh nn v Phc sinh ca Ngi, th chng ta mi c th khm ph chiu su ngha i sng c tin ca mnh. 3. KT LUN T vic tm hiu quan im c Kit - trung tm trong t tng ca Bonavetura, chng ta i n mt vi nhn nh. Th nht, thnh Bonaventura c mt ci nhn rt c o v vai tr trung tm ca c Kit trong mu nhim Ba Ngi, chnh Ngi trong t cch v Ngi Li Vnh cu tr thnh im ni kt ca tnh yu trao ban gia Cha Cha v Cha Thnh Thn. T i sng sung mn ca Ba Ngi lm ny sinh s tun trn xung to thnh theo m mu ca c Kit. y l mt quan im Kit hc rt c o trong bi cnh thn hc Trung c. Tuy b qun lng trong nhiu thp k, nhng nay t tng ny ly li c mt s ngng m v u i ca cc thn hc gia hin i. K n, Bonaventura trnh by cho chng ta vai tr trung tm ca c Kit gia Thin Cha v to thnh. Trong t cch l Ngi Li vnh cu, Ngi l m mu Thin Cha sng to mun loi th to. Nhng trong t cch l Ngi Li Nhp th, Ngi tr thnh im ni kt gia Ba Ngi Thin Cha vi th gii th to, gia vnh cu vi thi gian v mang li cho th gii th to mt s thnh thing v cao qu trong chng trnh to thnh v cu ca Thin Cha. Chiu kch ny ang c nhiu ngi quan tm, nht l trong lnh vc thn hc mi sinh v cnh chung hc. Sau cng, chng ta thy trong th gii th to, con ngi l loi c Thin Cha yu thng cch c bit nht, c xem l vng min ca th to. V vy, vi con ngi, c Kit tr thnh mt trung gian duy nht, qua chng ta bit Thin Cha l ci ngun hnh phc ch thc ca mnh, c Kit l tm gng gip con ngi noi gng bt chc phc hi li hnh nh thnh thing m mnh b ng mt v ti li v c kh nng tr v vi Thin Cha. Quan im c Kit trung tm theo thnh Bonaventura tr thnh mt li m vo i sng thnh thing vi c Kit, trung tm ca mi thc ti cuc sng con ngi, hu lm cho i sng ca chng ta tr nn c ngha v y trn hy vng vo mt thc ti vnh hng trong Ba Ngi Thin Cha. QUANG HUYN, OFM --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] S. Mullholand, OFM, Tp ti liu bi Ging mn thn hc Phan sinh, lu hnh ni b, tr 43. [2] Trn Ph, Thnh Bonaventura, Hc vin Phanxic 2005, trang 150. [3] Ts. Paul Brown, Bi thuyt trnh v ti Thn hc Phan sinh, ti hc vin Phanxic Vit Nam, thng 10 nm 2008. [4] Ti liu dn. [5] S. Mullholand, OFM, Sd., tr 20. [6] X. Sd., tr 21. [7] X. Paul Brow, ti liu dn. [8] S. Mullholand, OFM, Sd., tr 57. [9] Thnh Bonavetura, L trnh tm linh, Chng II, 9, tr 80. [10]X.S. Mullholand, OFM, Sd., tr 23. [11] Bonaventura, Sd., trang 61. Quang Huyn, OFM

Thnh Bonaventura trong t tng c Bnct XVI VietCatholic News (04 Sep 2009 20:11) Ngy 6 thng Chn ny, c Gio Hong Bnct XVI s ri Rma i thm hai thnh ph nh, nhng mang nhiu ngha l Viterbo v Bagnoreggio. Viterbo cch Rma chng 65 dm, khong mt gi li xe, l ni vic bu gio hong theo th thc c mt vin hay kn ca (conclaves) xy ra ln u tin. Thc vy, cho ti nm 1271, vic t hp cc v hng y li bu tn gio hong khng c gi l c mt vin, hay mt cuc hp din ra trong mt cn phng kha kn. Sau ci cht ca c Gio Hong Clement IV vo nm 1268, cc v hng y hp nhau ti Viterbo khng bu c v gio hong no thay th ngi trong sut ba nm tri. Cui cng, cc vin chc ca thnh ph buc phi kha kn cc v hng y li trong phng hp v hng ngy ch cung cp cho cc ngi duy c bnh m v nc l m thi. Chng bao lu sau , c Gio Hong Gregory X c cc ngi bu ln. Chnh v gio hong tn c ny ban hnh sc ch buc vic bu c tn gio hong phi din ra trong phng kha kn. c Gio Hong Bnct XVI s dng trc thng bay t dinh ma h ti Castel Gandolfo ti Viterbo. Nhng trn ng v, ngi s dng chn ti Bagnoreggio. C ngi t hi: ti sao ngi li dng chn ti mt th trn khng quan trng cht no vy? Tha, Bagnoreggio chnh l sinh qun ca Thnh Bonaventura. Thnh nhn sinh ti nm 1217. Nhng mt v gio hong u c bt buc phi i thm sinh qun ca mi v thnh? Cu tr li ch c th l: Thnh Bonaventura l mt trong hai v thnh ln khun cho tn tng ca c ng Kim Gio Hong. V thnh kia, chnh l Thnh Augustine. Ti c, cc hc gi phi vit hai lun n. Lun n u nhn lnh vn bng tin s. Lun n sau, gi l "Habilitationsschrift", lnh nhn chc gio s ging dy. Gia thp nin 1950, ngi sinh vin tr tui Joseph Ratzinger vit lun n th hai ny, tm gi l lun n hu tin s, v Thnh Bonaventura v ci hiu ca ngi v lch s.

Thnh Bonaventura Tng thut bo ch cho hay c Gio Hong s knh ving cnh tay ca v thnh ny ang c gi ti nh th chnh ta Bagnoreggio, trong khi cc phn thn th khc ca thnh nhn c chn ct ti Php. Tuy nhin, c Gio Hong cng s tn knh s khn ngoan su sc trong ci nhn ca Thnh Bonaventura v mc khi Kit Gio, v khi lm nh th, ngi s duyt li mt trong cc quan tm chnh trong chnh quan im thn hc ca ring ngi. Theo ngha ny, nu ta hiu c Bnct hc hi c g ni Thnh Bonaventura, ta s hiu r hn iu ngi ang d tnh lm vo lc ny, trong triu i ngi, du dt Gio Hi vt qua mt giai on kh nhiu nhng trong lch s. Chnh c Thnh Cha cho ta mt nim v bi cnh tri thc trn trong mt bi din vn ngi c trc mt nhm hc gi my nm trc y, trc khi c bu lm gio hong. Lc y ngi ni rng: Lun n tin s ca ti ni v nim dn Cha ni Thnh Augustine Thnh Augustine i thoi vi thc h Rma, nht l sau v ngi Goths xm chim Rma vo nm 410, v do , ti rt thch xem xem trong nhng cuc i thoi v cc nn vn ha khc nhau ny, ngi nh ngha ra sao v yu tnh ca Kit Gio. [Ti thy] ngi coi c tin Kit Gio khng phi l mt tip din i vi cc tn gio khc, m ng hn l mt tip din ca trit hc nh mt chin thng ca l tr i vi m tn Nh th, ta c th ngh rng bc chnh trong tin trnh hnh thnh nn thn hc Ratzinger l hiu Kit Gio nh mt tip din i vi trit hc v nh mt chin thng ca l tr i vi m tn. Ri ngi sinh vin tr tui Ratzinger tin thm bc na. Ngi nghin cu Thnh Bonaventura. Ngi ni tip: Cng trnh hu tin s ca ti ni v Thnh Bonaventura, mt nh thn hc Dng Phanxic th k 13. Ti khm ph ra mt kha cnh trong nn thn hc Bonaventura m ti cha thy c trong cc trc tc c trc, chnh l tng quan ca ngi vi nim mi m v lch s, tng c Joachim thnh Fiore thai nghn trong th k 12. Joachim nhn lch s nh mt din tin t thi k Cha Cha (thi kh khn cho loi ngi phi sng di l lut), qua thi k th hai ca lch s, tc thi Cha Con (nhiu t do hn, nhiu ci m hn, nhiu tnh anh em hn), ti thi k th ba ca lch s, thi k dt khot ca lch s, tc thi Cha Thnh Thn. Theo Joachim, y l thi ca ho gii ph qut, ha gii gia ng v ty, gia Kit hu v ngi Do Thi gio, thi khng c lut (theo ngha ca Thnh Phaol), thi ca tnh bng hu ch thc trn trn gian.

 nim ng ch m ti khm ph c l mt lung t tng c ngha trong cc tu s Phanxic xc tn rng Thnh Phanxic thnh Assisi v c Dng Phanxic nh du bui hng ng ca thi k th ba trong lch s, v h c tham vng thc hin c vic y; Bonaventura i thoi mt cch ph phn vi lung t tng ny.

Joachim de Fiore Nh th, thin ngh nh thn hc tr tui Ratzinger rt ta t Thnh Bonaventura quan nim coi lch s nhn bn nh mt din tin c ch ch hng v mt mc tiu chuyn bit, mt thi c nhng thng sng tm linh su sc, thi ca Cha Thnh Thn. Trong khi trit hc c in ni ti tnh vnh cu ca th gii, v do ti chu k i i tr li ca thc ti, th Thnh Bonaventura, theo gng Joachim, ln n quan nim coi th gii l vnh hng, v bnh vc nim cho rng lch s l mt din tin c ch ch gm cc bin c khng bao gi tr li, nhng hng v mt chung cc. Lch s c ngha Lch s c lin h ti, v qui hng v mt ngha, v Ngi Li, v Cha Kit. iu ny khng hn ni rng nh thn hc tr tui Ratzinger hay Thnh Bonaventura mun bin li gii thch c th ca Joachim thnh ca ring mnh. ng hn ch mun ni rng: ging nh Thnh Bonaventura, nh thn hc Ratzinger bc vo i thoi c ph phn vi quan nim tng th ca ng ny, ngha l lch s c mt dng dp v mt ngha; rng, cng nh Thnh Bonaventura, ngi nghim chnh xem st nim ny. Ngi ta cn nh Ratzinger lnh vn bng hu tin s ngy 21 thng Hai nm 1957, lc gn 30 tui, vi kh nhiu sng gi. y ban gim kho c nhim v xem st cng trnh ca ngi thc t bc b phn ph phn ca lun n, n ngi buc phi ct b v vit li, v ch trnh by phn lch s m thi, xoay quanh vic phn tch mi tng quan gia Thnh Bonaventura v Joachim. Theo chnh hi k Milestones: Memoirs 1927-1977 ca ngi, gio s ca ngi l Michael Schmauss ph rng li gii thch ca ngi v quan nim mc khi ca Thnh Bonaventura chng t mt ch thuyt duy hin i y nguy him nht nh s dn ti vic ch quan ha nim mc khi. Lc y, v c by gi na, ngi vn cho rng li ph phn ca Schmauss khng ng. V ngi cho rng quan nim mc khi ca Thnh Bonaventura khng cng ngha vi quan nim ca chng ta ngy nay l ngha mi ni dung mc khi ca c tin. Theo ngi, i vi Thnh Bonaventura, mc khi lun lun i km vi nim hnh ng, ngha l, mc khi chnh l hnh vi qua Thin Cha t t mnh ra, ch khng phi ch l kt qu ca hnh vi .

Ti sao iu quan trng? Chnh ngi vit trong hi k Milestones: Bi v thc s l nh th, quan nim mc khi lun lun hm ngha mt ch th tip nhn: ni no khng c ngi tip nhn mc khi, ni mc khi khng xy ra, v khng c tm mn no c ko ln c. Do chnh nh ngha, mc khi i mt ai c th nm bt c n. Nhng ti sao vic ny li quan trng? Ngi vit tip: Cc thng sng ny, c c nh c Thnh Bonaventura, sau ny rt quan trng i vi ti, lc Cng ng tho lun v mc khi, v Thnh Kinh v thnh truyn. V, nu Thnh Bonaventura ng, th mc khi phi i trc Thnh Kinh v c k thc trong Thnh Kinh nhng vn khng hon ton ng nht vi Thnh Kinh. iu ny cng c ngha l mc khi lun l iu g v i hn nhng g c vit xung. V hn na, n cng c ngha l khng th c ci th sola scriptura (ch c thnh kinh m thi) nguyn tuyn c, v mt yu t ch yu ca Thnh Kinh chnh l Gio Hi trong t cch ch th am hiu, v hiu nh th, th ngha nn tng ca thnh truyn rnh rnh. Ni tm li, xt trong yu tnh, iu ngi rt ta t Thnh Bonaventura thch ng v hon b iu trc ngi rt ta t Thnh Augustine. Nu t tng ca Thnh Augustine nhn mnh n lin tc tnh ca Kit Gio vi nn trit hc c in, v hp l tnh ca nim tin Kit Gio so vi tnh d oan ca ngoi gio, th t tng ca Thnh Bonaventura nhn mnh ti tng phn tnh gia Kit Gio v nn trit hc c in. Thc ra, t tng y ln n ph phim tnh ca nn trit hc c in v m p nim coi th gii l vnh cu v mi s s i i tr li, chng qua do n thiu chn l mc khi v mt tc nhn thn linh. Nh thn hc Ratzinger gi iu trn trong li phi l cho cng trnh ca ngi v Thnh Bonaventura: H vic Hy lp ha Kit Gio, mt vic tng c gng vt qua x-cng-an c bit th (the particular) bng cch ha ln c tin v siu hnh, chng dn ti vic khai trin theo chiu hng sai lm sao? H n chng to nn mt phong thi tnh t (static) cho t duy, gy hi cho nng ng tnh ca phong thi Thnh Kinh sao? C nay na, nu ta chu c chng cui trong tc phm mi y ca c Gio Hong, cun Cha Gisu thnh Nazareth, ta s thy thut ng siu hnh vn gi thit hu th hc v con ngi nh mt lin h m nhiu ngi coi l si ch xuyn sut mi cng trnh ca nh thn hc Ratzinger, t cng trnh u tin v Thnh Augustine vo nm 1953, qua lun n hu tin s v Thnh Bonaventura (1956) ti cun Cha Gisu thnh Nazareth (2007). Ngi cho rng mc khi Kit Gio phi vt ln trn l tr, mc d n khng v khng c mu thun vi l tr. Thnh ra, khi dng li Bagnoreggio, theo mt ngha no , c Bnct XVI qu tr v vi ngun ci ca cuc tranh u tri thc su sc nht ca mnh, ni ngi hiu trn vn tnh mi m ca nim tin Kit Gio v nim tin y, chn l mc khi y, cng mt lc, va ho hp va chng li ra sao th l tr vn l ca bu ca nn trit hc c in. iu y lm cho cuc du hnh Bagnoreggio khng phi ch l mt cuc du hnh bnh thng ca mt v gio hong, m l mt cuc hnh trnh tm v qu kh tri thc v tm linh ring ca chnh c Thnh Cha, v tr v vi ci ct li trong ci nhn tri thc v tm linh ca ngi. Theo Robert Moynihan, sng lp vin v ch bin nguyt san Inside the Vatican.

Teilhard de Chardin trong t tng ca c Bnct XVI VietCatholic News (06 Sep 2009 18:34) Nhn bi ging mi y ca c Bnct XVI ti Aosta, , tp san Cng Gio America, s ngy 17 thng Tm va qua c bi bnh lun nh sau:

Xem ra Gio Hi vn lun m hn nhng ngi tng b Gio Hi nghi ngi. Galileo Galilei, nh thin vn hc ngi , l ngi ni ting nht trong s ny. Nhng cn nhiu ngi khc nh Thomas Aquinas, Joan thnh Arc v Ignatius thnh Loyola. ng vin c phc hi gn y nht phi k l nh c sinh vt hc, nh trit hc bin ha v vn s linh o Dng Tn, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Qu vy, cc nh quan st Vatican tng ch ti li c Gio Hong Bnct XVI nhc n Teilhard lc c Kinh Chiu vo ngy 24 thng By va qua ti Aosta, i Li, coi n nh mt ti nh gi i vi v linh mc ny v t tng ca ngi. Trch dn tm nhn v i ca Teilhard, c Gio Hong thc gic ta truyn php th gii n ha thnh bnh thnh sng ng, mt kiu ni khin ta nh n nn thn hc thnh th ca v tu s Dng Tn ngi Php ny, trong , ton b sng th tr thnh hin l dng ln Thin Cha.

Teilhard de Chardin S.J. Teilhard ni ln ci nhn trn trong mt cuc thm him ti Sa Mc Ordos Ni Mng vo nm 1923. Thiu cc yu t bnh khng men v ru nho c hnh Thnh L, ngi son ra mt li nguyn y th mng ta l Thnh L Th Gii (ng trong Ca Khc V Tr, Harper 1961), dng ton b sng th trong lch s bin ha ca n lm bnh thnh ln Thin Cha. Trc , c Gio Hong Bnct XVI tng ca ngi chiu hng phng v v tr ni cc Gio Hi ng Phng. Vic c Gio Hong nhc n Teilhard qu c gp phn lm vang di li cch r rng tm nhn ca nh thn hc Php ny: mt v tr bin ha trong thi gian v cng ngy cng c cc kim tm khoa hc bit ti nhiu hn; mt din trnh linh o ang dn xut hin trong thc nhn loi, mt nhn loi m nn linh o c tm thy c trong tc ng ln th ng; v mt nhn loi c ku mi khng nhng sng trong th gian m cn bin i n. Qu thc, li cu xin ca c Gio Hong nhn mnh ti bn phn ca chng ta phi bin i th gii. Khi a ra ch ny, t tng ca ngi xem ra c khai trin dc theo mt ng phng nh ng phng ca c Gio Hong Gioan Phaol II. Sau Cng ng Vatican II, c hai v u t ra khng my hi lng i vi m sc lc quan theo kiu Teilhard ca Hin Ch Mc V Gio Hi trong Th Gii Ngy Nay v n qu ch trng ti Cha Kit v tr v vic n khng nh sc mnh bin i ca phc sinh trong lch s. c cha Karol Wojtyla lc y than phin rng Cha Kit Cu Chuc b lu m bi Cha Kit vinh quang. Trong t cch Gio Hong Gioan Phaol II, ngi duyt li quan im ca ngi trong thng ip V Quan Tm X Hi (1987). Cng th, c Gio Hong Bnct XVI mi ngy mi vit nhiu hn v s bin i ca tri t, coi n nh n gi ca Kit gio. Trong Bc i trong Chn L, chng hn, hot ng trn th ca con ngi, khi c c i gi hng v nng , s gp phn vo vic xy dng kinh thnh ph qut ca Thin Cha, vn l mc tiu ca lch s gia nh nhn loi (S 7). R rng, c Gio Hong nhn nhn rng kiu nhy cm Teilhard c c l thuc s trin n ton b ca bn nhin con ngi. Vi mt trnh tht bt ng, ngi t lng tin tng i vi kh nng y n phc ca con ngi trong vic bin i th gii v khi lm nh th, h bin th gii y thnh ca l xng ng

hn dng ln Thin Cha. Ging Teilhard, c Bnct XVI mun nhc chng ta nh rng th gii m chng ta bin i bng lao cng, bng s hc v bng c sng to ca mnh ang gp phn vo ca l v i Cha Kit dng ln cho Cha Cha. c Gio Hong ch ra mt lot cc vn ang ch c gii quyt v bin i: vic bo v s sng con ngi v mi sinh, vic m rng trch nhim bo v bao gm vic cung cp lng thc v nc ung cho ngi dn ngho, v vic to ra cc cu trc quc t gii quyt nn u c trn th trng ti chnh cng nh qun tr nn kinh t hon cu. Liu ngi Cng Gio c tha c hi ny, ng ln lnh o ngi cng dn ng o ca mnh gip mt vi cc thch trn bng nhiu sng kin mi nhn danh gia nh nhn loi? Hay vn tip tc thu mnh di bng cc ngu thn t cao t i, t tiu khin vui chi ca nn vn ha ngy nay? Thoi ha s l tng lai nn vn minh ca chng ta nu vic phc hi khi cn khng hong ti chnh hon cu li tr v vi phong thi tiu th ca hu bn th k 20. Tiu th c ch ng ca n trong vic to ra phc li vt cht. Nhng sau mt gii hn no , n tr thnh ph phch i vi linh hn v x hi. Bin i th gii chc chn bao hm vic m rng th trng; tuy nhin, khng ch yu dnh cho ngi giu m l dnh cho ngi ngho. ng khc, c sng to nhn bn cn c iu hng bi cc kht vng trn vn hn ch khng hn ch l vic ci thin phc li vt cht m thi, v con ngi nhn bn mi ngy mt nhiu v thm kht nhiu hn: c v thm m, tri thc, th thao, mi sinh, v tn gio. Bt c trong lnh vc c gng bin i th gii no, khoa hc, k thut, truyn thng, kinh doanh hay ngh thut, ta u phi nhm mc tiu c v cho bng c mt loi pht trin c th duy tr c, c tnh nhn bn trn vn nng mc phc li ln cho tng ngi v mi ngi. Cui cng, khi vic bin i trn t ti s vin mn ca n, nh Teilhard tng vit, th s hin din ca Cha Kit, mt hin din vn m thm tch ly ni s vt, s t nhin c mc khi, ging ln chp sng t cc ny ti cc kia. Hoi nghi C c gi khng tin chnh xc trong li trch c gn cho c Bnct XVI trn y. V theo ng, nim ca Teilhard cho rng th gii lun lun t ci thin chnh mnh hng ti im Omega, lc vic bin i n t ti vin mn v lc Cha Kit s thnh lnh xut hin, l mt nim khng h c cn bn trong Thnh Kinh v thn hc. Ngoi tr c ai dm cho rng Teilhard tng nhn c mc khi t, iu m c gi ny cho l cha h nghe thy, th vic v linh mc ny tin on v ngy tn cng ca th gii, tuy rt vui tai, nhng qu tri vi chnh cc li ca Cha Kit, nh li ny chng hn: khi Con Ngi xut hin, liu Ngi cn thy c d ch l 10 ngi c c tin hay khng?. Ngi u c ni Ngi s tr li khi th gii tr nn hon ho? nim cho rng nhn loi sa ng n lc no s tr nn hon thin bn ny nm m ch l mt nim ngy ng. Tht ra, nm 1981, B Gio L c Tin, B m sau my thng, c Hng Y Ratzinger s ng u, tng nhc li li cnh co (monitum) m B Vn Phng Thnh (Holy Office), tin thn ca B Gio L c Tin, tng ban hnh nm 1962, lin quan n cc trc tc ca linh mc Teilhard de Chardin. Li cnh co nh sau: Mt s cng trnh ca Cha Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, trong c nhng cng trnh c xut bn sau khi ngi qua i, ang c bin tp v ang gt hi c nhiu thnh cng. Khng ph phn v nhng im lin quan ti cc khoa hc thc chng, nhng r rng cc cng trnh trn c kh nhiu m h v cn lm ln nghim trng na n c th xc phm ti hc thuyt Cng Gio. Chnh v l do ny, cc ng Bc li lc nht v ng knh nht thuc Vn Phng Thnh khuyn cc ng Bn Quyn cng nh cc v b trn cc dng tu, cc v gim c cc chng vin v cc v ch tch cc i hc, hy hu hiu che ch cc tm tr, nht l tm tr gii tr, trnh xa cc nguy him do cc cng trnh ca Cha Teilhard de Chardin v cc mn ca ngi trnh by. Lm ti Rma, t in Vn Phng Thnh, ngy 30 thng Su nm 1962.

y th, nhng trong bui kinh chiu ti Aosta, c Bnct XVI ni nguyn vn nh sau: Vi trn vn con ngi, chng ta phi l s th ly v l hy

Thnh l V Tr sinh, v sau khi bin i th gii, phi tr n li cho Thin Cha. Vai tr ca chc linh mc l truyn php th gii n tr nn bnh thnh sng ng, tr nn mt phng v: n phng v khng cn l iu sng i vi thc ti th gii, nhng chnh th gii phi tr nn bnh thnh sng ng, mt th phng v. cng l ci nhn v i ca Teilhard de Chardin: cui cng, ta s thc hin c mt phng v c tnh v tr ng ngha, trong v tr tr thnh bnh thnh sng ng. Ta hy cu xin Cha gip chng ta tr nn cc linh mc theo ngha , bit gp phn vo vic bin i th gii thnh ngi th ly Thin Cha, khi s t chnh con ngi chng ta. cuc sng ta bit ni v Cha, cuc i ta tr thnh mt phng v thc s, mt loan bo v Thin Cha, mt cnh ca qua Thin Cha xa xm tr thnh Thin Cha hin din, v l mt hin mnh ng ngha cho Thin Cha. Bin i th gii Thnh ra phi hiu li ca c Bncgt XVI trong ng cnh bin i th gii, trong c c chng ta, thnh bnh thnh trong mt phng v v tr. V bin i n v mi phng din nh nhn nh trn y ca tp san America. T tng ca Teilhard cn c th b tranh ci, nhng theo quan im cnh chung Kit gio, cui cng mi s u c t di chn Cha Kit, Vua v tr. C ngi nh John Allen Jr, mt bnh bt ca t National Catholic Register, i hi qu xa bng cch gi c Bnct XVI l gio hong xanh: v u tin cho rp h thng nng lng mt tri ti Vatican, v u tin ku gi mt cuc hi tm sinh thi. Do , ng ta bo hnh nh v gio hong ny ang c mt ci nhn mi v v thnh bn mng cha cng b ca sinh thi hc Cng Gio, c khoa hc gia v trit gia Dng Tn ngi Php, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Theo Allen, ngi ta c th c on vn ca c Bnct XVI trn y theo nhiu bnh din khc nhau: hoc nh mt bc xch li gn cc tu s Dng Tn hay nh mt c gng tm ra iu g tch cc ni v cc nh t tng vn lm ngi ta e ngi, nh ngi tng lm i vi nh thn hc ni lon v ng nghip c l Hans Kng. D g, Allen cng nhc ngi ta nh ng cnh li ca ngi Teilhard ca c Bnct XVI: ng cnh y chnh l cc suy nim v Th Thnh Phaol gi tn hu Rma, trong , Thnh Phaol vit rng mt ngy kia, chnh th gii cng s tr nn mt hnh thc th phng sng ng. iu y khin c Gio Hong nh ti Teilhard v ngi ln ting: l ci nhn v i m sau ny Teilhard de Chardin cng c: cui cng, chng ta s c mt nn phng v c tnh v tr chn thc, trong , v tr tr nn bnh thnh sng ng. Ta hy cu xin Cha gip chng ta tr nn cc linh mc theo ngha ny, bit gp phn vo vic bin i th gii thnh ngi th phng Thin Cha, khi s t chnh chng ta. Allen cho rng ni ti vic phc hi i vi Teilhard ch l mt li gii thch qu ng (overinterpretation). Tuy nhin, t nht n cng cho ngi ta cm tng rng vic thm d cc tng ca v tu s Dng Tn qu c, m c ngi gi l Darwin Cng Gio ny, l vic nn lm. Dng nh pht ngn vin Ta Thnh, Cha Federico Lombardi, cng c cm tng ny, khi ngi pht biu: T nay, khng ai cn dm ni rng [Teilhard] l mt tc gi bt chnh thng m ta khng nn nghin cu.

Ngi Bc Kinh Hc tr li lc nht ca Teilhard, hin cn sng ti , l nh thn hc gio dn Vito Mancuso, ni vi cc phng vin rng ng ngc nhin mt cch thch th v li pht biu ca c Bnct XVI v chng c mt tm quan trng ln lao. Cha Teilhard, ngi qua i nm 1955 lc 73 tui, l mt tu s Dng Tn ngi Php. Cha nghin cu c sinh vt hc v trong thp nin 1920, tng tham gia vo vic khm ph ra Ngi Bc Kinh ti Trung Hoa, mt khm ph xem ra xc nhn din trnh pht trin tim tin ca ging ngi. Da trn cc cng trnh khoa hc ca mnh, Teilhard khai trin ra nn thn hc bin ha cho rng ton b sng th u pht trin hng v im Omega m ngi cho l chnh Cha Kit, Ngi Li Thin Cha. Trong chiu hng y, Teilhard m rng quan nim lch s cu ri bao gm khng nhng cc c th nhn bn v nn vn ha ca con ngi, m c ton b v tr. Nhn khi qut, t tng ca Teilhard tr thnh im khi hnh cho bt c tc phong Cng Gio no v mi sinh. Tuy nhin, ngay t u, nn thn hc ca ngi b nhiu chc sc c trong Dng Tn ln Vatican hoi nghi. Bn cnh nhiu iu khc, cc v ny lo ngi rng li c thin nhin y lc quan ca ngi c th i ngc li gio hun c truyn ca Gio Hi v ti t tng. Chnh v th, 7 nm sau khi ngi qua , tc nm 1962 mi c li cnh co ca Vn Phng Thnh nh trn ni. Nm 1981, nhn k nim 100 nm ngy sinh ca Teilhard, bng c li n i l ngi c phc hi. Li n i ny thc ra c c s nh l th ng trn t L'Osservatore Romano, ca c Hng Y Quc V Khanh, Agostino Casaroli. L th ny ca ngi tnh vang di y ngc nhin trong tm ti nghin cu, cng nh tnh sng chi trong nhn cch v tnh phong ph trong t duy ca ngi. c Hng Y Casaroli qu quyt rng Teilhard tin phong cho li ku gi ng s ca c Gioan Phaol II trong vic tip nhn vn ha, vn minh v tin b. Tuy nhin, cn bng phn no tc dng ca l th trn, Ta Thnh cng tuyn b rng phn quyt nm 1962 v Teilhard vn cn gi tr. V phn bn thn c Bnct XVI, nm 1968, lc cn l thn hc gia Ratzinger, ngi tng vit trong Nhp Mn Kit Gio (Introduction to Christianity) rng chiu kch v tr v siu hnh ca Kit Gio c Phng ng lng gi su sc hn l Phng Ty, nhng Phng Ty xem ra cng ang phc hi c chiu kch y c bit nh s kch thch trong cng trnh ca Teilhard. Ngi cho rng Teilhard ni ln cch chnh xc nn Kit hc ca Thnh Phaol. Khi ln ngi gio hong, thnh thong ngi c dng mt ngn ng r rng phn nh t tng ca Teilhard. Trong bi ging L Phc Sinh nm 2006, ngi c nhc

ti l thuyt bin ha, m t vic Phc Sinh nh bin dch v i nht, tuyt i l bc nhy vt ch yu nht vo mt chiu kch hon ton mi m cha tng c trong lch s lu di ca s sng v vic pht trin ca n. y th nhng i khi thn hc gia Ratzinger cng kh m h v Teilhard. Trong mt bnh lun v kha hp sau cng ca Cng ng Vatican II (1962-1965), nh thn hc tr tui ny tng than phin rng hin ch Vui Mng v Hy Vng coi nh thc ti ca ti li v chu nh hng nng n ca t tng Php, nht l t tng Teilhard. Xem ra, c Bnct XVI rt thch ci nhn v tr ca Teilhard, nhng cng lo ngi trc nhng gii thch khng ph hp vi nim tin chnh thng. Theo Allen, d g, li nhn nh ngy 24 thng By ti Aosta ca ngi v Teilhard cng phn nh thnh tch ca ngi v mi sinh, c nhiu ngi coi l nt c o nht trong gio hun x hi ca ngi. Gn y nht, c Bnct XVI dnh c mt phn trong thng ip c i trong Chn L mi gi ta hy thm hu ha iu c ngi gi l giao c gia con ngi nhn bn v mi sinh, mt giao c phi phn nh tnh yu sng to ca Thin Cha. Trong cun sch ta l Mi iu Rn v Mi Sinh: c Gio Hong Bnct XVI Ln Ting Bnh Vc Sng Th v Cng L (Ten Commandments for the Environment: Pope Benedict XVI Speaks Out for Creation and Justice), nh n vn s Cng Gio Woodeene Koenig-Bricker m t ngi l v gio hong xanh bc nht trong lch s v cho rng khng nhng cp ti cc vn mi sinh, ngi cn mang chng vo p dng na.

ZE10030306 - 2010-03-03 Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-28527?l=english

On St. Bonaventure
"Proposing This Theme I Feel a Certain Nostalgia"

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 3, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience in Paul VI Hall. *** Dear brothers and sisters, Today I would like to speak about St. Bonaventure of Bagnoregio. I confide to you that on proposing this theme I feel a certain nostalgia because I remember the research that, as a young scholar, I carried out precisely on this author, whom I particularly esteem. His knowledge has been of no small influence in my formation. With great joy I went on pilgrimage a few months ago to his birthplace, Bagnoregio, a small Italian city, in Latium, which venerates his memory. Born probably in 1217, he died in 1274; he lived in the 13th century, an age in which the Christian faith, profoundly permeating the culture and society of Europe, inspired immortal works in the field

of literature, visual arts, philosophy and theology. Striking among the great Christian figures who contributed to the composition of this harmony between faith and culture is, precisely, Bonaventure, man of action and of contemplation, of profound piety and of prudence in governing. He was called John of Fidanza. An incident that occurred when he was still a boy profoundly marked his life, as he himself relates. He had been affected by a serious illness and not even his father, who was a doctor, hoped to save him from death. His mother appealed then to the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi, canonized a short time earlier. And John was cured. The figure of the Poverello of Assisi became even more familiar a year later, when he was in Paris, where he had gone for his studies. He had obtained the diploma of Master of Arts, which we could compare to that of a prestigious secondary school of our time. At that point, as so many young people of the past and also of today, John asked himself a crucial question: "What must I do with my life?" Fascinated by the witness of fervor and evangelical radicalism of the Friars Minor, who had arrived in Paris in 1219, John knocked on the doors of the Franciscan monastery of that city, and asked to be received in the great family of the disciples of St. Francis. Many years later, he explained the reasons for his choice: He recognized the action of Christ in St. Francis and in the movement he initiated. He wrote thus in a letter addressed to another friar: "I confess before God that the reason that made me love more the life of Blessed Francis is that it is similar to the origin and growth of the Church. The Church began with simple fishermen, and was enriched immediately with very illustrious and wise doctors; the religion of Blessed Francis was not established by the prudence of men, but by Christ" (Epistula de tribus quaestionibus ad magistrum innominatum, in Opere di San Bonaventura. Intoduzione generale, Rome, 1990, p. 29). Therefore, around the year 1243 John put on the Franciscan coarse woolen cloth and took the name Bonaventure. He was immediately directed to studies and frequented the faculty of theology of the University of Paris, following a program of very difficult courses. He obtained the different titles required by the academic career, those of "biblical bachelor's" and "bachelor's in sentences." Thus Bonaventure studied in depth sacred Scripture, the Sentences of Peter Lombard, the manual of theology of that time, and the most important authors of theology and, in contact with the teachers and students that arrived in Paris from the whole of Europe, he matured his own personal reflection and a spiritual sensitivity of great value that, in the course of the following years, showed in his works and sermons, thus making him one of the most important theologians of the history of the Church. It is significant to recall the title of the thesis he defended to be able to qualify in the teaching of theology, the licentia ubique docendi, as it was then called. His dissertation was titled "Questions on Knowledge of Christ." This argument shows the central role that Christ always had in the life and teaching of Bonaventure. We can say, in fact, that all his thought was profoundly Christocentric. In those years in Paris, Bonaventure's adopted city, a violent dispute broke out against the Friars Minor of St. Francis of Assisi and the Friars Preachers of St. Dominic Guzmn. Debated was their right to teach in the university and doubts were even cast on the authenticity of their consecrated life. Certainly the changes introduced by the Mendicant Orders in the way of understanding religious life, of which I spoke in preceding catecheses, were so innovative that not everyone understood them. Also added, as happens sometimes among sincerely religious persons, were motives of human weakness, such as envy and jealousy. Bonaventure, although surrounded by the opposition of the rest of the university teachers, had already started to teach in the chair of theology of the Franciscans and, to respond to those who were criticizing the Mendicant Orders, he composed a writing titled "Evangelical Perfection." In this writing he showed how the Mendicant Orders, especially the Friars Minor, practicing the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, were following the counsels of the Gospel itself. Beyond these historical circumstances, the teaching offered by Bonaventure in this work of his and in his life is always timely: The Church becomes

luminous and beautiful by fidelity to the vocation of those sons and daughters of hers who not only put into practice the evangelical precepts, but who, by the grace of God, are called to observe their advice and thus give witness, with their poor, chaste and obedient lifestyle, that the Gospel is source of joy and perfection. The conflict died down, at least for a certain period, and, by the personal intervention of Pope Alexander IV, in 1257 Bonaventure was officially recognized as doctor and teacher of the Parisian University. Despite all this, he had to resign from this prestigious post, because that same year the General Chapter of the order elected him minister-general. He carried out this task for 17 years with wisdom and dedication, visiting the provinces, writing to brothers, intervening at times with a certain severity to eliminate abuses. When Bonaventure began this service, the Order of Friars Minor had developed in a prodigious way: There were more than 30,000 friars spread over the whole of the West, with a missionary presence in North Africa, the Middle East and also Peking. It was necessary to consolidate this expansion and above all to confer on it, in full fidelity to Francis' charism, unity of action and spirit. In fact, among the followers of the Saint of Assisi there were different forms of interpreting his message and the risk really existed of an internal split. To avoid this danger, in 1260 the General Chapter of the order in Narbonne accepted and ratified a text proposed by Bonaventure, which unified the norms that regulated the daily life of the Friars Minor. Bonaventure intuited, however, that the legislative dispositions, though inspired in wisdom and moderation, were not sufficient to ensure communion of spirit and hearts. It was necessary to share the same ideals and the same motivations. For this reason, Bonaventure wished to present the authentic charism of Francis, his life and his teaching. Hence he gathered with great zeal documents related to the Poverello and listened attentively to the memories of those who had known Francis directly. From this was born a biography, historically well founded, of the Saint of Assisi, titled Legenda Maior, written also in a very succinct manner and called because of this the Legend. The Latin word, as opposed to the Italian [and English, legend], does not indicate a fruit of imagination but, on the contrary, Legenda means an authoritative text, "to be read" officially. In fact, the General Chapter of the Friars Minor of 1263, which met in Pisa, recognized in St. Bonaventure's biography the most faithful portrait of the founder and it thus became the official biography of the saint. What is the image of St. Francis that arises from the heart and pen of his devoted son and successor, St. Bonaventure? The essential point: Francis is an alter Christus, a man who passionately sought Christ. In the love that drives to imitation, he was entirely conformed to Him. Bonaventure pointed out this living ideal to all of Francis' followers. This ideal, valid for every Christian, yesterday, today and always, was indicated as a program also for the Church of the Third Millennium by my predecessor, the Venerable John Paul II. This program, he wrote in the letter "Tertio Millennio Ineunte," is centered "on Christ himself, who must be known, loved and imitated to live in Him the Trinitarian life, and, with Him, to transform history to its fulfillment in the heavenly Jerusalem" (No. 29). In 1273 St. Bonaventure's life met with another change. Pope Gregory X wished to consecrate him bishop and name him cardinal. He also asked him to prepare a very important ecclesial event: the Second Ecumenical Council of Lyon, whose objective was the re-establishment of communion between the Latin and the Greek Churches. He dedicated himself to this task with diligence, but was unable to see the conclusion of that ecumenical summit, as he died while it was being held. An anonymous papal notary composed a eulogy of Bonaventure, which offers us a conclusive portrait of this great saint and excellent theologian: "Good, affable, pious and merciful man, full of virtues, loved by God and by men ... God, in fact, had given him such grace, that all those who saw him were invaded by a love that the heart could not conceal" (cf. J.G. Bougerol, Bonaventura, in A.

Vauchez (vv.aa), Storia dei Santi e della santita cristiana. Vol. VI. L'epoca del rinnovamento evangelico, Milan, 1991, p. 91). Let us take up the legacy of this saint, doctor of the Church, who reminds us of the meaning of our life with these words: "On earth ... we can contemplate the divine immensity through reasoning and admiration; in the heavenly homeland, instead, through vision, when we will be made like to God, and through ecstasy --- we will enter into the joy of God" (La conoscenza di Cristo, q. 6, conclusione, in Opere di San Bonaventura. Opuscoli Teologici /1, Rome, 1993, p. 187). [Translation by ZENIT] [The Holy Father then greeted the people in several languages. In English he said:] Dear Brothers and Sisters, In our catecheses on the Christian culture of the Middle Ages, we now turn to Saint Bonaventure, an early follower of Saint Francis of Assisi and a distinguished theologian and teacher in the University of Paris. There Bonaventure was called upon to defend the new mendicant orders, the Franciscans and the Dominicans, in the controversies which questioned the authenticity of their religious charism. The Friars, he argued, represent a true form of religious life, one which imitates Christ by practising the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience. Elected Minister General of the Friars Minor, he served in this capacity for seventeen years, at a time of immense expansion accompanied by controversies about the genuine nature of the Franciscan charism. His wisdom and moderation inspired the adoption of a rule of life, and his biography of Francis, which presented the Founder as alter Christus, a passionate follower of Christ, was to prove most influential in consolidating the charism of the Franciscan Order. Named a Bishop and Cardinal, Bonaventure died during the Council of Lyons. His writings still inspire us by their wisdom penetrated by deep love of Christ and mystical yearning for the vision of God and the joy of our heavenly homeland. I welcome the English-speaking pilgrims present at todays Audience, including those from Nigeria, Japan and the United States. To the pilgrims from Sophia University in Tokyo I offer my prayerful good wishes that the coming centenary of your University will strengthen your service to the pursuit of truth and your witness to the harmony of faith and reason. Upon you and your families I invoke Gods abundant blessings! Copyright 2010 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana [He concluded in Italian:] I greet, finally, youth, the sick and newlyweds. Dear young people, prepare yourselves to address the important stages of life, basing every plan of yours on fidelity to God and to your neighbor. Dear sick people, offer your sufferings to the heavenly Father in union with those of Christ, to contribute to the building of the Kingdom of God. And you, dear newlyweds, know how to build daily your family in listening to God, in faithful and mutual love. [Translation by ZENIT]