24 October 2014

Saint Bonaventure on hypocrites and the signs of the times

And therefore, he calls them hypocrites, for they were professing knowledge of the Scriptures like Catholics, rather than knowledge of the nature of things and of the stars like astrologers. But in reality they were paying more heed to the latter rather than to the former. And this is hypocrisy in Christian religion, to be more solicitous about the things of nature than about the things of grace....Therefore these are reprehensible, who take pains to consider the time of this rain and neglect to consider the time of grace, since through these sensible realities they can be led to spiritual realities. So they have abandoned the heavenly fatherland for the sake of the road thereto, and the face of the Lord for the sake of the Lord's footprints.

- Saint Bonaventure

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