Recta Ratio

Verily, thou art blessed amongst women, for thou hast changed Eve's curse into a blessing; and Adam, who hitherto lay under a curse, hath been blessed because of thee.
Verily, thou art blessed amongst women, for through thee the Father's blessing hath shone forth on mankind, setting them free of their ancient curse.
Verily, thou art blessed amongst women, for through thee thy forebears have found salvation. For thou wert to give birth to the Savior who was to win them salvation.
Verily, thou art blessed amongst women, for without seed thou hast borne, as thy fruit, Him who bestows blessings on the whole world and redeems it from that curse that made it sprout horns.
Verily, thou art blessed amongst women, for, though just a woman by nature, thou wilt become, in reality, the Mother of God. If He whom thou art to bear is truly God made flesh, then rightly do we call thee, Mother of God, for thou hast truly given birth to God. Amen.

Today is the feast of this great Franciscan and Doctor Of the Church.

Prayer by Saint Bonaventure:

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.
Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.
May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God;
may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk. (prostration) But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to thy servant. (prostration) Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own errors, and not to judge my brother, for thou art blessed from all ages to all ages. Amen. (prostration) Lord have mercy (12 times) Repeat the prayer with only one prostration at the end.

This saint first came to my attention via Father Christopher Rengers' reflections on The Seven Last Words Of Christ On the Cross, which I read every Lent. The Sons Of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Transalpine Redemporists, less formally) discuss his life here. Saint John Gualbert, please pray for us!