Grace descends over rational minds through the Incarnate Word, through the Crucified Word, and through the Inspired Word. Thus it is said in the Epistle of James that He has voluntarily begotten us in the Word of truth, so that we be a certain beginning of His creation….

After man fell through sin, the Divine Wisdom provided a manner of condescension through the Incarnate Word, through which man was to be adapted to grace.

And because that was done in the womb of the glorious Virgin, for that reason it was said to Her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee…. Thus is clear the first origination of grace in us, which happens through the Incarnate Word….

Second, grace descends into us through the Crucified Word. We were not only incapable of taking up grace on account both of our ignorance of the divine precepts and of our infirmity and impotence and concupiscence for earthly things.

To heal our languors, God descended into us through the Crucified Word. St Paul says to the Ephesians: God, who is rich in mercy, on account of His exceeding charity, with which He has loved us; when we had died with sins, vivified us together with Christ, by whose grace we have been saved.

We have been vivified by Christ through Christ, because Christ has triumphed from death; whence death could not absorb Him, rather the Fount of life absorbed death, according to that which is written: I will be thy death, O Death! Otherwise we could not be healed and saved….

Christ has died, to resuscitate the dead for the taking up of life and grace; therefore grace is flowed into us through the Incarnate Word and through the Crucified Word.

And the Blessed Virgin took up that Word (that is) full of grace; and the stream of graces has come forth from the side of Him, who has the efficacy to heal us.

Third, grace rises in us through the Inspired Word. However much God has sent His Son into flesh, unless you believe that He was crucified, you will not have grace.

St Paul says to Titus: Not out of the works of justice, which we have done, but according to His mercy has He saved us through the laver of regeneration and the renovation of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured forth abundantly into us through Jesus Christ, Our Savior….

It is the Holy Spirit, who is the giver of graces and the Love proceeding from the Father and the Son.

Whatever therefore the Father does and the Son suffers, it is nothing without the Holy Spirit. For He joins us to the Father and the Son.

Bonaventure of Bagnorea (1221-1274): Conferences on the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Cap. 1,5-7.

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