Grasping The Light

Item quaeritur de hoc quod dicitur: Tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt. Contra: Lux corporalis, dum lucet, et est praesens, non potest non videri; ergo a pari ratione videtur de luce spirituali et intellectu. Item quare dicitur de tenebris? Quia nullus etiam bonus eam comprehendit, cum sit incomprehensibilis. Respondeo: Dicendum quod non est simile de luce corporali et spirituali triplici de causa; tum ex parte motivi, quia corporalis se manifestat naturaliter, spiritualis vero voluntarie: tum ex parte oculi, quia oculus intellectus caecus est respectu unius, et tamen videt respectu alterius; sicut videmus, quod unius habet ignorantiam, alterius cognitionem, sic oculus infidelis caecus respectu Dei. Tertia ratio ex parte comparationis; quia aliqua proportio est oculi nostri ad lucem corporalem, sed lux spiritualis improportionabiliter excedit, et ideo lucem habitat inaccessibilem. Quod quaeritur de comprehensione dicendum, quod est comprehensio per inclusionem, sive terminationem, per apertam visionem, per fidei et caritatis adhaesionem. Primo modo a nullo, secundo modo a Beatis, tertio modo a Sanctis, nullo dictorum modorum a malignis. Ideo dicitur: Et tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt, id est, nec fide, nec amore adhaeserunt. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Evangelium Ioannem, Caput I Source: Here, p250

Similarly one may enquire about this which is said: 'The darkness did not comprehend it.' 1 Against this: it impossible not to see material light when it shines and is present, therefore with equal reason it seems to be the case with the spiritual light and the intellect. Similarly why is this said of 'the darkness'? Because not even anything good comprehends the light when it is incomprehensible. I answer that it must be said that there is not this sort of similarity between material light and spiritual light for three reasons, from the part of motive because material light manifests itself naturally and the spiritual voluntarily, then from the part of the eyes, because the eye of the intellect may be blind in respect of one thing and yet see in respect of another thing, as we see that it is ignorant of one thing and has knowledge of another thing, and so the eye of the faithless man is blind with respect to God. The third reason comes from comparison, because though there is a certain proportion between our eyes and material light, yet the spiritual light exceeds all proportionality, and therefore dwells in inaccessible light. 2 One must then speak of what should be said regarding comprehension, that is, that comprehension may be by inclusion, or ending, or open vision, through an adherence in faith and love. The first way is open to no man, the second is the way of the blessed, the third is the way of the saints, and none of the ways mentioned are open to the wicked. Therefore it is said: 'And the darkness did not comprehend it,' that is, they did not adhere either in faith or in love. Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 1 1 Jn 1.5 2 1 Tim 6.16