St. Bonaventure's image of the Church was closely connected to his understanding of the Eucharist. The text below from Bonaventure's Commentary on the Sentences: Sacraments was recommended to me by Father Joseph Joseph Chinnici, OFM, President Emeritus Professor of History, The Franciscan School of Theology at the University of San Diego.
"Christ our Lord acquired a great number of people by uniting them in his Mystical Body. In this body, which is the Church, there are many and diverse peoples: there are wayfarers and the infirm, and there are those entangled in daily sins. Because they are many in one body, they need to be connected to one another. Because they are wayfarers, they need refreshment. Because they are involved in daily sins, they need an oblation. These things were not to be accomplished only interiorly through the grace of the virtues, but externally through the grace of the sacraments.
It was therefore fitting that they should have one exterior connection just as they had one interiorly. However, that one connection had to be where the members were. Since the members are in many places, it had to be such as would be fitting in many places. But this is not so except for God or what is united to divinity. However while God is within, what is joined to divinity is the body of Christ. Therefore the body of Christ ought to have been given in an external sacrament, which is the one in which all the faithful are united in eating the one and same food.
It was also fitting that they have external refreshment in the sacrament. However, that which refreshes the soul is none other than God or what is united to God. This is the true body of Christ. Thus it was fitting that the true body of Christ be in this sacrament.
It was also fitting that they have an exterior oblation. But the Lord, by offering himself in a unique oblation, rendered naught all other oblation. Therefore, if it ought not revive what he had destroyed, it should give us the very same one that he offered, and none other. Therefore just as the true body of Christ was offered upon the cross, so he is sacrificed upon the altar.
3. From all this it is clear that the objection about fittingness does not stand. To the objection that humanity is not humbled in this sacrament, it must be said that this is by no means true, for the humiliation lies in the external visible sign. Furthermore, in this, above all others, is the human intellect humbled and taken captive. This is because it is forced to believe what it can in no way comprehend. Beyond this also in this sacrament there is the example of utter humility. For the Lord of majesty is clothed in such a mean and poor garment as a further example of humility and poverty."
Hellmann, Wayne; LeCroy, Timothy. Commentary on the Sentences: Sacraments (Works of St. Bonaventure) . Franciscan Inst Pubs. Kindle Edition.
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