St. Bonaventure’s Commentary on John’s Gospel

Thirty Days of Reflection and Prayer

It seems that a word of general orientation is in order for those coming to Bonaventure’s Commentary on the Gospel of John for the first time. Bonaventure’s style of commentary consists of a detailed outline of the text, running commentary on the individual verses, and answers to questions that arise from the text. In my selection of the Johannine passages for thirty days, I have given preferential treatment to those passages used in the liturgy during Cycle B and for Christmas, Sundays in Lent, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Sundays after Easter. Perhaps preachers may want to share with their congregations interpretations that are so old that they are new, that sparkle because Bonaventure has singled out the very best from tradition, and that challenge our hackneyed ways of interpreting a favorite passage such as Jesus’ healing of a man who had been disabled for thirty-eight years (John 5).Each day is arranged in the following manner. At the beginning I tell readers what passage from John’s Gospel to read and meditate upon. Then I provide Bonaventure’s commentary on one or two verses of the passage under consideration. My Reflection follows Bonaventure’s interpretation. In the Reflection I relate Bonaventure’s commentary to the rest of the passage being interpreted, to contemporary exposition, and to themes in the rest of the Gospel. I conclude each day with a Prayer, which is meant to be a springboard for readers’ own prayers.