Bonaventure

In his own words on Esther

• Esther 2:17

  The blessed Virgin possesses that price, because she is strong and valiant, sublimely reigning. Whence in Esther it is said that Esther found grace before Ahasuerus above all women, and he placed a diadem upon her head and made her queen. The blessed Virgin on account of her sanctity, piety, and sublimity had a crown of precious stone. Who is this stone? Certainly Christ.

  Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 6

• Esther 8:16

  In the tropological sense, the sun has four faces. The first is the grace of the Holy Spirit, as in Esther: "The light and the sun rose up: and the humble were exalted," that is, when God lives in us through grace. Hence, as the sun sheds its light continuously, so must the soul continuously receive illuminations from the grace of the Holy Spirit.

  Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 13

• Esther 10:6

  There is a reading in the Book of Esther: "The little fountain grew into a river, and was turned into a light, and into the sun, and abounded into many waters." Scripture was a "little fountain" at the time of the giving of the Law, for the book containing the commandments of the Law is small; but later it grew into an immense river in the books of Josue, Judges, Kings, Esdras, Judith, Tobias, Esther and the Macchabees. Then, it was "turned into light," that is, the light of the Prophets, for prophecy is light; then again, "into the sun," that is, in the Gospels. And many interpretations were drawn from it, and in that sense, it may be said that it "abounded into many waters."

  Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 13

• Esther 15:13

  And in Esther it is said: "I saw you, Lord, as an Angel of God, and my heart was troubled by fear of your glory; for you are exceedingly wonderful, Lord, and your face is full of graces." An Angel sees and surveys all things, approves the good and rejects the evil; likewise, an Angel loves the good and hates the evil.

  Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 2