Alberic Jacovone OSB
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YEAR B
TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD
Dan 7,9-10.13-14; 2 Pet 1,16-19; Mt 17,1-9
Icons of God’s ‘Glory’
Art
Through Orthodox eyes.
Today, 6th August, is the Feast of Jesus’ Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. We
hold it on 2nd Sunday of Lent, & strangely, on August 6th, when we join
Oriental, Orthodox & Coptic Churches who have held it on August 6th, since
early centuries. In the West, it appeared on this date around 1000AD & only
in 1457, it came in the Roman Missal to mark the Christian victory over the
Muslim’s Invasion of Europe, at the battle of Belgrade. This 2nd Feast of
Transfiguration aims at enriching us with ecumenical & cultural overtones
from Eastern & Hellenistic poets, artists & saints, who wish to impress
on our Western mind what we vaguely already know. Their artistry & insights
can empower us with fresh perspectives, & help us visualize the Risen
Lord’s “glory” in our life. To start with, the story itself asks us, to
look for people, who in the Bible climbed a high mountain, where they could be
overcome by the grandeur of God’s creation, & come ‘face to face’ with
God. They are: Moses, who on Mt Sinai received the ‘Ten Laws’ from God (Ex.
19) & Elijah who on Mt Horeb met God in the ‘gentle breeze’ (1King 19).
In Jesus’ Transfiguration, both old ‘Law’ & Prophets are present &
fulfilled. This unique & awesome ‘Vision’ left the 3 disciples gasping
& speechless, led Peter to a hollow gesture to keep the glorified Christ,
Moses & Elijah under 3 tents on the mountain & finally filled them with
awesome fear as a ‘voice’ came from the cloud: this is my Son, listen to
Him!. This unique event has fired the imagination of saints, artists &
poets, who across centuries & cultures, have also been caught in blinding
similar visions of God’s glory, flooded into a light of brilliant white,
whiter than any bleacher could ever make.
Christian
Art on Christ’s glory. Byzantine Art considers Jesus’ glory from its Greek cultural
view-point. It wishes to proclaim Jesus, as God’s Word & Incarnate Son,
who has come among us, for the sole purpose of uniting us unto himself. Its
Liturgical Prayer proclaims that God has become one with us, so we can be one
with God (Theo-poiesis or Deisis). To this perspective, people respond with
gesture, movement, word & art, while contemplating -& caught in- God’s
eternal glory. Here Icon & incense, ritual & candle, chanting &
celebrant, create an atmosphere of eternity, where everyone participates in
God’s eternal glory. It’s at this level that they invite us to celebrate the
Transfiguration (Greek word is ‘metamorphosis’, indicating changing of
figure or form). In former years, many artists & wisdom seekers went to Mt
Athos, in search of meaning. While staying there, they had to submit to a
special test, which would assess their longing for Christian theology, liturgy
& prayer: it consisted in painting an icon on a constant theme: Jesus’
Transfiguration on Mt Tabor. In this Icon, they would assess their world-view,
against the world-view which Jesus came to establish on earth & which we are
called to discover & live-out. Today, on ‘Transfiguration’ day, we are
called, to see our world with the eyes of faith: not in its profane & sinful
situations, but in our participation to the grandeur & wonder of God’s
glory (Doxa), which Jesus disclosed. Here is a prayer from ‘Byzantine
Worship’: O Christ our God, on Mt Tabor, you showed as much glory that the
disciples could hold. Through the prayers of Mary Teotokos (=Mother of God), let
your eternal light shine on us sinners - There, the disciples held what glory
they could, so that seeing you crucified, they would know, it was your will to
suffer & show the world that you are truly the Father’s glory. May we
recognize you as God in the very sufferings you endured.
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