De transflguratione Domini
The Ascent to Tabor
Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up the mountain of Tabor to reveal the mystery of the resurrection.
He then fulfilled what He had already promised, as it is said: "After six days," according to Matthew—not counting the extremes—or "after about eight days," according to Luke, counting the first day on which He promised and the last on which He fulfilled it; Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him and led them apart onto a very high mountain, namely Tabor, four miles from Nazareth toward the East, so that He might pray there. Matthew and Mark mention only the days in between, but Luke includes the start and end days as well. The six days signify that after the sixth age of the world, the souls of the saints will rest in blessed expectation; the eight days signify that in the eighth age of the resurrection, the bodies of the saints will rise again into the glory of immortality. This signifies, therefore, that after six ages there will be rest from all labor, and that in the eighth time there will be a rising again. Hence, according to Jerome and the Gloss, this fits the mystery well: for just as Christ rose on the eighth day after the sixth day of the week, on which He ascended the cross, and after the seventh day of the Sabbath, on which He rested in the tomb; so too shall we rise in the eighth age, after the six ages of the world in which we suffer and labor for the Lord, and after the seventh age of the rest of souls, which is spent meanwhile in the other life. The Transfiguration, therefore, took place on the eighth day because it was intended to show His disciples the glory of the future resurrection, which will be in the eighth age of the world; for this reason, it was prefigured here by the eighth day. He took only three with Him so that the testimony might be established by the mouth of three. Likewise, it is a sign that those who firmly keep the faith of the Trinity now will then rejoice in the eternal vision. He specifically chose these three—Peter, James, and John—because he loved them with a special intimacy. He did this to show that anyone who wants to see the glory of God must also acknowledge the faith, like Peter; overcome vice, like James; and possess the grace to do good, like John. For all merit consists in believing the truth, turning away from evil, and doing what is good. Furthermore, this commends all states of life in the Church: through Peter, the married or even the prelates are signified; through James, the penitents or the active; through John, the virgins. or the contemplative. And in a beautiful gesture, he led them up to show his disciples the glory of the resurrection, taking them apart so we might understand that if we desire to share in that same resurrection, we must be separated from the crowds of wicked people and the tumult of the world. It was also a beautiful thing that he led them up a high mountain, not into a valley, so we might learn that glory is not to be sought in the depths of this world, but in the kingdom of heavenly blessedness; and that we will deserve to reach that glory of the future resurrection and to see Christ in his splendor if we leave behind what is low and earthly, and, longing for what is high and heavenly, dwell in our minds among the things of heaven. For it is necessary for all who desire to contemplate God not to lie in the lowest pleasures, but always to lift themselves toward heavenly things. He went up the mountain to pray, hinting that those who intend to pray must ascend the mountain of virtues, keep their hearts fixed on high rather than on the lowest things, and persist in constant prayer. It's fitting that this mountain is called Tabor, which means an increase of light. It is interpreted this way because everything that is made manifest is made manifest in the light.
The Glory Revealed
While praying, Christ is transfigured, manifesting the splendor of His divinity and the future glory of His saints.
The effect of the Lord's prayer shows why He prayed: specifically, to reveal the glory of His future resurrection to His Apostles. For while He was praying, He was transfigured before them. It doesn't say He transfigured Himself, so that we might note the action happened not by the power of the Trinity, but within the nature of His humanity. And it is fitting that the appearance of His face changed while He was praying, for the fervor and devotion of prayer is a preparation for transfiguration and the ecstasy of the mind. Hence Peter, while he was praying, was caught up in an ecstasy of mind. Consider these things well, and present yourself, for they are truly magnificent. His face shone like the sun—or rather, more than the sun, for there is nothing clearer to which it can be compared—but His garments were made white as snow, and so bathed in light that they appeared white on the outside. According to Augustine, the whiteness of the garments proceeded from the splendor of His face; and this was a true change in His face, but not in His garments. He didn't lose the substance of true flesh, nor did He withdraw the reality of His body; rather, He added splendor to it. That’s why Luke says the appearance of His face was changed, not turned into something else. In His mortal flesh, therefore, He showed the glory of His own immortality and resurrection—or rather, our own—not in Himself, but in the brightness of the age to come, just as He willed, so that He might make us more certain of that glory which He was preaching. Look at what a great pledge of our own blessedness we have! For this transfiguration was nothing other than a foretelling of the second coming, in which both Christ Himself and His saints will shine brighter than the sun; that is why He didn't take on the gift of glory, but only its likeness. For, as Pope Leo says, those who were still surrounded by mortal flesh could in no way gaze upon and see that ineffable and inaccessible vision of the Godhead itself, which is reserved in eternal life for the pure of heart. The splendor of His face signifies the brightness of His divinity; the brilliance of His garments, however, signifies the brightness of His humanity. Likewise, the brightness of the face represents the future brightness of Christ the Head; the brilliance of the garments, however, designates the future brightness of His members—that is, the saints—who will be surpassed by the brightness of Christ, just as the whiteness of snow is surpassed by the brilliance of the sun. Whiteness, therefore, signifies the glory of the future resurrection, which is why the angel, the messenger of the Lord’s resurrection, appeared to the women clothed in a white robe. And, according to Bede, the Lord’s clothing is understood to be the choir of His saints, who were seen as despised while they were on earth.
The Moral Ascent
The author provides a moral interpretation of the Transfiguration, urging the reader to ascend the mountain of virtues through prayer and detachment.
In a moral sense, the Lord did three things regarding the Transfiguration: He took the disciples with Him, He climbed the mountain, and He began with prayer—to signify that we don't reach glory except through the fellowship of virtue, the height of a holy life, and the devotion of prayer. Blessed, then, is the one who has taken such a company with him: Peter, in whom knowledge is signified; James, in whom struggle is signified; and John, in whom grace is signified. Take Peter, therefore, whose name means 'one who knows,' so that you may possess a knowledge that should be threefold: of God, of yourself, and of your neighbor. Knowledge of God produces love and guards against despair; knowledge of self produces humility and guards against presumption; knowledge of one's neighbor produces compassion and guards against cruelty. And just as you should acknowledge your own fragility, you should also acknowledge the vanity of the world, and once known, despise it. Take James, who is called 'the wrestler' or 'the supplanter,' so that there may be in you a struggle and a supplanting—which also should be threefold: against the flesh, the world, and the devil. You must wrestle bravely against the cravings of the flesh and the world, and the promptings of the devil, and once you've defeated them, cast them down. For no one is crowned unless they've competed according to the rules; as a sign of this, Jacob received a blessing after his struggle. Take John as well, who is called 'grace,' so that there may be in you a grace that likewise should be threefold: beginning, progressing, and arriving. Hence the Apostle says: 'By the grace of God I am what I am'—regarding the first; 'and His grace in me was not empty'—regarding the second; 'but I labored more abundantly than them all, yet not I alone, but the grace of God with me'—regarding the third. John was also gifted with the privilege of a singular love for God; may he love the divine Good above all things, and in all passing things, desire nothing but divine love. Furthermore, Peter—also called Simon, which means 'obedient'—signifies obedience; John, in whom grace dwells, signifies purity; and James, who is the 'wrestler' or 'supplanter,' signifies voluntary poverty. These three enable us to see the divine brightness, just as they saw the Transfiguration. Blessed is the one who ascends such a mountain—that is, the height of life—where there are three steps: self-rejection, mortification of the flesh, and contempt for worldly prosperity, of which we spoke in the previous chapter: 'If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me!' Blessed is the one who persists in prayer so piously, faithfully, and perseveringly until the glory appears on the face of the cleric, who is transfigured into the sun while shining through knowledge, burning through love, and illuminating through example and teaching; and on the garments of the layperson, for whom the whiteness of snow suffices through the purity of mind, flesh, and work. And its cause. E.
The Testimony of the Law and Prophets
Moses and Elijah appear to speak with Christ, confirming His identity as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.
And behold, there appeared to them Moses, already dead according to the soul, in a body assumed or adapted for himself, just as when angels appear in assumed bodies; and Elijah, still alive in soul and his own body, brought from paradise. These two appeared with Christ rather than others—one dead, the other still alive—as a sign that He is the Lord of the living and the dead, or of life and death, and that the just, both the dead (who are represented by Moses) and the living (who are represented by Elijah, who at the time of judgment will be found either alive in the flesh or resurrected from death), are to reign in glory with Him. Also, they appeared to show that He is the very one whom the writings of the Law and the Prophets foretold and promised; to make it clear that the Law and the Prophets do not disagree with Christ’s teaching; that Christ was the goal of the Law and the Prophets in their message, and the glory for which they had come; and to show that He Himself is above the Law that Moses the Lawgiver gave, and above the Prophets, among whom Elijah was the preeminent preacher. Moses signifies the Law, Elijah the Prophets, and the Lord the Gospel. The Lord appeared, therefore, between Moses and Elijah, as if He and the Gospel held testimony from the Law and the Prophets. Also, one appeared dead and the other alive to signify that Christ would die and rise again, or that we should be dead to the world but alive to God. Also, so that Christ might have testimony from every side: the Father in a voice from heaven, the cloud from the air, Elijah from paradise, the Apostles from the earth, and Moses from the underworld—and behold, these two men were speaking with Him. . They spoke of His departure, which He was about to fulfill in Jerusalem—that is, the Passion, in which there was an excess of love, sorrow, and humility. For there, love was beyond measure, according to that saying of John: 'Greater love than this...', etc. There was sorrow beyond the ordinary, in keeping with that word from Lamentations: 'Look, all you who pass by!' And humility, beyond what is expected, according to that word from Lamentations: 'Remember my poverty,' and so on. Their purpose in speaking was to show that such a grace of redemption was to come through Christ, prefigured by the testimonies of the Law and the Prophets. It should be noted that they weren't speaking about this matter as if they were informing Christ of things he didn't know; rather, they were adoring him regarding his coming in the flesh, and because they saw the mystery of the Passion—which they themselves had foretold—being fulfilled in Christ. They were perhaps joyful, too, because they saw the day of their own redemption, and that of the whole human race, drawing near. Nevertheless, they felt compassion for Christ, because such a glorious face had to be spat upon in this way, and in this way be betrayed, judged, and crucified out of envy. It should also be noted that great joy was brought to the Apostles and Prophets, not only from the Transfiguration of Christ, but also, as Ephrem says, from their mutual vision, because the leaders of both Testaments were gathered together with God, Abraham. For Moses, the leader of the Jews, was looking at Peter, the leader of the Christians; Elijah was considering John, the chaste virgin; and both of them were praising the privilege of martyrdom in James.
Peter's Fervent Desire
Overwhelmed by the vision, Peter desires to build three tabernacles, though he does not fully grasp the mystery of the glory he sees.
Peter and his companions were weighed down by sleep, overcome by the glory, because human senses are overwhelmed by the splendor of the incomprehensible Godhead. Waking up, they saw His majesty and the two men standing with Him—Moses and Elijah—whom they recognized through the illumination of that same brightness. From where? Ambrose asks, "How did the Apostles recognize Moses and Elijah, whom they had never seen before?" He answers that it was through the majesty coming upon them; in this it is implied that in future glory, one will recognize another whom he had never seen. According to the Gloss, Elijah is called the most excellent of the prophets here; yet, the opposite is said of David in the prologue to the Psalter, and of Moses in the Gloss on Exodus. The question is resolved because Moses was excellent in his familiarity with the Lord, in the showing of signs, and in the promulgation of the Law; Elijah was excellent in the austerity of his life, the authority of his reproof, and the length of his life; David was excellent in the sublimity of his prophecy, his royal dignity, and the special promise made to him. Then Peter, responding with more fervor, said to Jesus, "Lord, it's good for us to be here"—that is, on the mountain, in the sweetness of contemplation. Once you've tasted heavenly sweetness, the lowest things lose their appeal. As Libanus says: "The more a person tastes the sweetness of the heavenly life, the more they find everything else in the lowest things repulsive." "If you want, let's build three shelters here to stay in, right here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah?" He wasn't talking about building a shelter for himself and his companions, as if he were assuming that he and his companions, as disciples, would remain with the Master in his shelter. By wishing this, Peter commends Christ and his own desire to remain on the mountain, based on the small taste of the future glory he had seen in Christ, so that we might learn from this that nothing is difficult to suffer for Christ—not torments, not the cross, not death—to reach the mountain of heavenly glory. we might arrive. For if the visible glory of Christ, seen on the mountain, so enticed Peter—subject as he was to impressions and the elements—that he said it was good to be there and to remain, what must we think of that ineffable and intelligible eternal glory in heaven, where there is no bad weather, no trouble from foreign impressions, where there is no evil, but every good will be obtained? Hence Bede: "O what happiness it is to be present forever at the vision of the Godhead among the angels, if the transformed humanity of Christ and the company of two saints, seen for a moment, so delights that Peter wishes to offer service to them so they do not depart." Remigius: "Having seen the majesty of the Lord and the two servants, Peter was so delighted that he..."1 to let other things slip into oblivion, and to wish to remain there forever. If Peter was so stirred, how great will be the sweetness and delight of seeing the King in His glory! and to share in the choirs of the Saints. and of the Angels! So says Remigius. But Peter was mistaken, not knowing what he was saying in asking for this: first, because he was seeking his homeland while still on the journey, and he mistook the shadow of future glory that he had seen for the true glory, forgetting that the kingdom of God is not promised to the Saints on earth, but in heaven; second, because he thought that man-made tabernacles were necessary in glory, not knowing that a man-made house isn't needed in that future age; third, because he didn't notice that he and his fellow apostles were still surrounded by mortal flesh, and he wanted to enter the state of immortal life without tasting death; and finally, because he wasn't considering his own salvation and that of his neighbors. Hence Augustine says: "What are you saying, holy Peter? The world is perishing, and you're seeking a private retreat? You see so many people coming together as one, and you're choosing quiet! You see the darkness of the world, and yet you hide the light! For no one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, etc. John Damascene also says: 'It isn't good for you, Peter, that Christ should stay here, because if He had, the promise made to you would never have been fulfilled.' You wouldn't have obtained the keys of the kingdom, nor would the tyranny of death have been abolished. As Chrysostom says: 'Because he heard that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things, he is still afraid for Christ; but after the rebuke, he doesn't dare to say openly again, "God forbid it, Lord," but he hints at the same thing secretly through other signs.' Because he saw so much peace and solitude, he thought it was a suitable place to stay based on the layout of the location, which he signifies by saying: 'It is good for us to be here.' He even wants to stay here always; that is why he mentions the tents, saying: 'If You wish, let us make three tents here.' He thought that if this happened, He wouldn't go up to Jerusalem, and if Christ didn't go up, He wouldn't die; for he knew that the scribes were lying in wait for Him there, as Chrysostom says. Even though Peter, stunned as he was, didn't know what he was saying when he asked for this, he still showed his devotion and displayed a sign of his own burning thirst. Peter was intoxicated by this; having tasted just one drop of heavenly nectar, he wanted to build three tabernacles. Just as someone might burst into words without thinking because of an intense emotion—whether fear, sorrow, or love—Peter spoke those words out of the intensity of his devotion and the delight he felt. Yet they weren't reasonable, because true beatitude doesn't consist merely in seeing Christ’s humanity, and therefore that couldn't be enough for a final beatitude.
The Trinity and the Soul
The author explores the mystical indwelling of the Trinity within the faculties of the soul, using the Transfiguration as a model for contemplation.
On Mount Tabor there is a great monastery surrounded by a large forest, having three churches, near which Peter says: “Let us make three tabernacles here.” In a moral sense, a contemplative person builds three tabernacles when they organize the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel through practical reading—that is, by believing with the heart, confessing with the mouth, and fulfilling them in action. Three things should be considered in the Transfiguration: the manifestation of the Trinity, the presence of Elijah, and the glorification of Christ. It should be noted, however, that this Transfiguration, which signifies the glory of the saints, is first described by the majesty of God, because the whole Trinity appeared there: the Father in the voice, the Son in human flesh, and the Holy Spirit in the cloud. This helps us understand that the glory of the saints consists in the enjoyment of the most blessed Trinity. Just as Peter, intoxicated by the sweetness of that brightness, wanted to build three tabernacles there, a person also has three tabernacles in their soul. It is not Moses or Elijah, but the blessed Trinity alone, that inhabits them delightfully, according to the words of John the Evangelist: "We will come to him and make our home with him." These are: memory, understanding, and will. The Son dwells in the tabernacle of the understanding, filling it with the fullest and clearest knowledge of God; the Holy Spirit dwells in the tabernacle of the will, filling it with the most delightful and sweet love; and the Father dwells in the tabernacle of the memory, filling it with the perpetual refreshment of the knowledge and love of the Beloved, along with the most secure intention. Through these acts, the soul is almost entirely transformed into God and, in a certain way, is made godlike.2 Then, as a kind of foretaste, what is said in the Gospel is verified: 'Enter into the joy of your Lord.' Secondly, this transfiguration is described by the company of those present, because Moses, Elijah, James, Peter, and John were there. In heavenly glory, therefore, we will have all the saints of the Old and New Testaments as our companions. The blessed of the Old Testament are distinguished into two orders: namely, the Patriarchs, who are understood through Moses, and the Prophets, who are understood through Elijah. The saints of the New Testament, however, are distinguished into three orders: namely, the Martyrs, who are represented by James; the Confessors, who, being full of the wisdom of God, are represented by Peter, which means 'one who acknowledges'; and...3 Virgins, who are represented by John. Alternatively, it can be said that Christ wanted testimony of his coming from those who are in heaven, namely the Father; from those who are in the world, namely Peter, James, and John; from those who are in the earthly paradise, namely Elijah; and from those who are in the underworld, namely Moses. Or, through these six persons, six goods are signified which God confers upon those who contemplate, because in contemplation: first, the mind is illuminated, which is signified in Peter, who is interpreted as 'one who acknowledges'; second, the flesh is supplanted, which is signified in James, who is interpreted as 'supplanter'; third, grace is increased and augmented, which is signified in John, who is interpreted as 'in whom there is grace'; fourth, the world is despised, which is signified in Moses, who is interpreted as 'taken from the waters'; fifth, the heart is inflamed with love, which is signified in Elijah. who was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire; sixth, heavenly sweetness is tasted beforehand, which is represented in Jesus. Therefore, Peter, who had tasted a single drop of it, said: 'Lord, it is good for us to be here.' . . not knowing what he was saying.
The Voice from the Cloud
The Father's voice confirms Christ as His beloved Son, and the Apostles are comforted after their fear by the touch of the Lord.
Third, this transfiguration is described by the glorification of the subject, when it is said: 'His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as snow': by which the beatitude and glory with which the bodies of the saints will be clothed are signified. The Lord didn't answer Peter; for although he spoke out of a fervor of devotion, he asked imprudently, and so he didn't deserve an answer from the Lord—the time hadn't yet come for him to stand in that glory. Whoever wants to build a tabernacle for the Lord should prepare the inner chambers of his heart, and he'll find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. But because Peter foolishly sought a material tabernacle made of branches and tents, thinking that temporary tabernacles were necessary in that eternal glory—where no wind of adversity is to be feared, and where the almighty God is the temple and the house of the Church—he received instead the covering of a bright cloud. Hence it follows: While he was still speaking and thinking about building visible tabernacles, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them—that is, the Apostles—because it surpassed them with a greater light and true knowledge, so that they might understand that for those received into eternal tabernacles, material tabernacles aren't necessary; and that they aren't to be protected by the shelter of houses, where they'll be protected by the glory of the cloud and the Holy Spirit, and will be hidden in the secret place of the Lord's face. And you should understand that while Peter was speaking, before he could finish his words, Moses and Elijah departed, and a cloud immediately followed, as if his words were interrupted by the overshadowing of the cloud. Peter was looking for a worldly tabernacle and missed the heavenly covering; and this cloud wasn't caused by those murky vapors, but proceeded from the intensity of the light—for just as smoke comes from fire, so this cloud came from the light. To instruct the Apostles' minds regarding the divinity of the only-begotten Son of God, after the testimony of Moses and Elijah, the Father's voice spoke from the cloud like thunder: "This is my Son, not by adoption, but by nature—my beloved Son, that is, my own natural Son, not created from elsewhere, nor adopted." According to Ambrose, this means: not Elijah the son, not Moses the son, but "This is the Son whom you alone see." For they withdrew where the Lord had begun to be designated, so that He alone might be shown, lest the Apostles err. "In whom I am well pleased" means that in Him I have determined to fulfill my good pleasure regarding the world's redemption; or, according to Chrysostom, in whom I delight, in whom I rest, whom I accept, because He executes with diligence all that belongs to the Father, and the will of Himself and the Father is one and the same; therefore, even if He wills to be crucified, don't contradict it. "Listen to Him"—more than Moses or Elijah, because Christ is the end of the Law and the Prophets. Listen to Him as the supreme and singular Master who will teach you everything necessary for salvation; listen to Him because He is the truth; seek Him because He is the life; follow Him because He is the way. As Remigius says, it is as if He were saying: "Let the legal shadows and the types of the Prophets withdraw; and follow only the shining light of the Gospel." Happy, therefore, are the Apostles, who not only deserved to see the glory of the Lord, but also heard the voice of the Father thundering! We will not be entirely alienated from this happiness if we believe in Him whom they believed in; and if we live by loving just as they lived; and if we love with all our heart Him whom they loved. But because human frailty is overwhelmed in the presence of majesty, and because it cannot bear the weight of divinity and the sight of glorious majesty, it is added: And the disciples, hearing the terrible voice from the cloud, fell on their faces—not like the wicked, backward. Hence Remigius says: "The fact that the holy disciples fell on their faces was a sign of holiness; for the wicked fall backward, as Eli did, and as Judas the traitor did with his henchmen." The just fall on their faces, therefore, sometimes out of fear, as here; sometimes out of humility, as the Magi did when they fell down and worshipped Him; and sometimes out of thanksgiving, as the elders fell on their faces before the throne. And they were very afraid because they knew they had erred, because a bright cloud had appeared, and because they had heard a voice like thunder—the voice of the Father, to whose majesty fear is owed. At this voice, as Ephrem says, the prophets fled, the apostles fell, and they were afraid. The thunder was indeed terrible; hence, at the voice itself, the earth beneath it trembled. But the kind and holy Master comforts and raises up those burdened by human frailty, both by word and by act. For Jesus approached them mercifully, because they could not rise by themselves, and He touched them—familiarly and gently—so that by His touch He might strengthen their weakened limbs; and He said to them, to banish their fear and dread: "Rise up," against the fall; "and do not be afraid," against the fear. Blessed are those whom Jesus touches; blessed are those whom salvation and life touch. For they rise up, and they are without fear and secure. Let us therefore ask Him to touch us too, to rouse us from our sleep of stupor and foolishness, and to open our eyes so that we may see Him. He is a sweet friend, because He consoles with compassion and helps with power. At the touch and consolation of Jesus the merciful—who reaches out His right hand to the prostrate to help them and raises up those who are lying down—the disciples rose, lifted their eyes, and saw no one, neither Moses nor Elijah, but only Jesus in the familiar form in which He was accustomed to walk among them. According to the Gloss, if Moses and Elijah had remained, the voice of the Father might have seemed uncertain as to whom it was testifying; and so they withdrew, lest the voice of the Father be thought to be directed at them, but rather so that it would be understood to pertain to Jesus alone. Allegorically, once the cloud was taken away, they saw that Moses and Elijah had vanished and that Jesus alone remained; because after the shadow of the Law and the Prophets departed—which had covered the Apostles like a cloud—they saw Jesus, and the Scripture was revealed to them; and the Gospel, in which both are found, alone remained.
The Command of Silence
Christ instructs the disciples to keep the vision secret until after His resurrection, providing reasons for this divine restraint.
It should be noted, according to the Gloss, that the mystery of the second regeneration—which will occur at the resurrection, when the flesh is raised—corresponds well with the mystery of the first, which is in Baptism, where the soul is raised. In the Baptism of Christ, the work of the Trinity was shown: the Son was there incarnate, the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove, and the Father was declared there in a voice. Similarly, in the Transfiguration, which is a sacrament of the second regeneration, the whole Trinity appeared: the Father in the voice, the Son in the man, and the Holy Spirit in the cloud. We will praise the glory of Him whom we now confess in faith at Baptism, when we see it at the resurrection. Nor was it in vain that the Holy Spirit appeared here in a bright cloud, and there in a dove. He is accustomed to declare His gifts through outward forms; He gives innocence in Baptism, which is signified by the bird of simplicity, but He is about to give brightness and refreshment in the resurrection. Therefore, refreshment is figured in the cloud, and the brightness of the bodies of those who rise is figured in the radiance of the cloud. Whoever keeps the faith he receives with a simple heart now will contemplate what he believed in the light of an open vision then, and he will be protected by that very grace which he will enjoy forever. There are seven reasons why He commanded the Apostles at the Transfiguration—and as they, namely Jesus and His disciples, were coming down from the mountain, Jesus gave them a command of instruction not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. There are seven reasons for this command: first, according to Jerome, so the account wouldn't seem incredible due to the magnitude of the event; second, according to Thomas, so that people hearing such glorious things said about him wouldn't be scandalized later when they saw him crucified; third, according to Remigius, so that the preaching of the glory of the Passion wouldn't be hindered, because if his majesty had been spread among the people, many would have resisted the chief priests and hindered his Passion, and thus the redemption of the human race would have been delayed; fourth, according to Hilary, because they were to be witnesses of Christ's divinity only when they were filled with the Holy Spirit and strengthened to bear witness to such a vision; fifth, according to Damascene, because the other disciples, still imperfect, would have been saddened that they hadn't seen this vision, and Judas would have been further incited to betray the Savior; sixth, because Christ's resurrection was much doubted, this vision was reserved to be revealed at a time when it was most necessary to bear witness to the resurrection itself, to which it provided no small argument, and the vision itself seemed more credible when it was also visibly demonstrated through the accomplished resurrection; seventh, so that we might be given an example that things which pertain to our praise and glory should be kept hidden as long as we are in this mortal life, and to fulfill what is said in Ecclesiasticus: "Do not praise a man in his own appearance," and in the same: "Before death, do not praise any man." Through this, he also shows that divine secrets and mysteries aren't to be published always, but at the proper place and time; and he gave an example to holy men not to easily publish revelations made to them, just as Paul kept silent about his rapture for fourteen years. 11 The Transfiguration of the Lord. The Transfiguration of the Lord took place around the beginning of spring, which is why the Gospel concerning the Transfiguration is read in the Church on the Saturday of the Ember Days, after the first Sunday in Lent. The feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord is celebrated on the sixth day before the Kalends of August, because it was then that the Transfiguration was preached and published by the Apostles, which they had kept silent about until that day: "And they kept the word to themselves." . . And they said nothing in those days, because of the prohibition given to them by the Lord on the descent from Mount Tabor toward the west, where there is a chapel, where the Lord said to the Apostles: "Tell the vision to no one, until the Son of Man rises from the dead."
A Prayer for Vision
The chapter concludes with a devotional prayer, asking for the grace to seek Christ alone and to eventually behold His glory.
PRAYER: Jesus, Redeemer of the lost, Savior of the redeemed, sweet comfort and gentle refreshment for the soul that is tearful and running after you, grant that I may reject and forget every delight outside of you, so that I may deserve to be gladdened by your flavor. And I pray that the time may come when I shall finally behold with unveiled eyes what I now believe; when I shall grasp what I now hope for and salute from afar; when I shall embrace and kiss with the arms of my soul what I now contemplate according to my strength; and when I may be entirely hidden in the abyss of your brightness, so that in the shelter of your wings there may be peace for me forever. Amen. u
Read the original Latin
Deinde quod jam supra promisit solvit, cum dicitur : Et post dies sex, secundum Matthaium, non numcrando extremos ; vel post fere dies octo, secundum Lucam, numerando diem primum qiio promisit, et ultimum quo solvit; assumpsit Jesus secum Petrum, et Jacobum, et Joannem, et duxit illos seorsum in montem valde excelsum, scilicetThabor, quartomilliario a Nazareth contra Orientem, ut ibidem oraret. Matthaeus et Marcus ponunt tantum dies medios, sed Lucas etiam extremos. Ilii sex,quia post sextam mundi setatem animse Sanctorum in beata exspectatione requiescent; Lucas octo, quia in octava resurrectionis, corpora Sanctorum in gluriam immortalitatis resurgent. Hic ergo post sex aetates quiescendum esse ab omni labore ; et ibi octavo tempore resurgendum designat. Unde, secundum Hieronymum et Glossam, hoc bene mysterio convenit : nam sicut Christus pust sextam sabbati, qua crucem ascendil, et post septimam Sabbati, qua in sepulchro quievit, octava die resurrexil ; sic et nos post sex mundi aetates, quibus pro Domino patimur et laboramus, et post septimam quietis animarum quae interim in alia vita geritur, octava aetate resurgemus. Transfiguralio ergo luit in octava die, quia iacta est ad ostendendum discipulis suis gloriam lesurrectionis futurae, quae erit in octava mundi aetate, ct prupter hoc figurata est hic per octavam diem. Assumpsit autem secum tres tantum, ut in ore trium staret testimonium. Item, in signumquod, quinuncfidemTrinitatis firmiter servabunt, tunc in aeterna visione gaudebunt.
Istos autem tres, scilicet Petrum, Jacobum et Joannem, specialiter assumpsit, quia istos familiariter diligebat. Hoc autem fecit ad designandum quod, quicumque vult gloriam Dei videre, oportet et quod fidem agnoscat, sicut Petrus ; quod \itia supplantet, sicut Jacobus; quod ad bene operandum, gratiam habeat, sicut Joannes : quia omne meritum consistit in credendo verum, in declinando a malo, in faciendo bonum. Item, ad commendationem omnium statuum Ecclesiae : nam per Petrum significantur conjugati, vel etiam praelati ; per Jacobum, pcenitentes, vel activi; per Joannem, virgines. vel theorici. Et pulchre ostensurus discipulis resurrectionis gluriam, seorsum illos duxit, ut intelligamus, quia, si ejusdem resurrectionis participes esse cupimus, a turbis malignorum homiuum et tumultibus seculi divisi esse debemus. Pulchre etiam eos in montem excelsum duxit, et non vallem, ut discamus gloriam non in profundo hujus seculi, sed in regno supernae beatitudinis esse quaerendam ; et qnod ad illam gloriam futurae resurrectionis perveuire, atque in decore suo Christum vitiere merebimur, si ima et terrena deserentes, ac sublimia et coelestia desiderantes, mente in coelestibus habitemus. Necesse est enim umnibus qui Deum contemplari desiderant, ut non in infimis voluptatibus jaceant, sed semper ad coelestia se erigant. Ascendit autem in montem, ut oraret, innuens oraturos in montem virlutum ascendere, et sursum, nou in imis corda habere, ac continuis precibus insistere.
Et bene mons iste dictus est Thabor, quod accessio lucis I)E TUANSFIGUKATIONE DOMIiNI. It interpretatur, quia omne quod manilostatur, in lumine maniiestatur.
EflectusautemorationisDominiostendit, propter quid oravit, scilicet propter gloriam futurse resurrectionis suis manilestandam Apostolis. Dum enim oraret, transfiguratus est ante eos. Non dicit transfiguravit se, ut notetur actio fieri, ex potentia Trinitatis, sed in natura humanitatis. Et bene, dum oraret, facta est altera species vultus ejus, fervor enim et devotio orationis dispositio est ad transfigurationem et exstasim mentis. Unde Pelrus, dum oraret, factus est in exstasi mentis. Conspice bene ista, et te praesentem exhibe, quia magnifica sunt Yalde. Resplenduit enim facies ejus sicut sol, imo plus quam sol, sed nihil habet clarius cui comparetur ; vestimenta autem ejus facta sunt alba sicut nix, et sic perfusa lumine, ut alba extra apparerent. Secundum Augustinum , candor vestium procedebat a faciei splendore ; et ista fuit vera mutatio in facie, sed non in veste.
Non substantiam verai carnis amisit, nec corporis veritatem subtraxit ; sed ei splendorem addidit. Unde Lucas dicit quod facta est species vultus ejus altera, non alia. In carne ergo mortali immortalitatis et resurrectionis suae vel noslrae gloriam, non in se, sed in seculi claritate, sicut voluit, ostendit; ut illius glorise, quam praedicabat, certiores nos redderet. Ecce quantum pignus beatitudinis nostrae liabemus! JNon enim erat ahud transfiguratio ista, nisi secundi adventus prsenuntiatio, in quo et ipse Christus et Sancti ejus lucebunt sole clarius ; unde non assumpsit claritatis dotem, sed similitudinem. Nam, ut Leo Papa ait, illam ipsius deitatis inetlabilem et inaccessibilem visionem, quae in seternam vitam mundis corde servatur, nullo modo adhuc mortali carne circumdati intueri poterant et videre. Splendor autem faciei significat claritatem divinitatis; fulgor vero vestium claritatemhumanitatisejus. Item,claritas faciei repraesentat futuram claritatem capitis Christi ; fulgor autem veslium designat futuram claritatem mcmbrorum ejus, scilicet Sanctorum, qui supcrabuntur a claritate Christi, sicut catidor nivis superatur a fulgore sohs, Candor ergo significat gloriam luturaj resurrectionis, propter quod et Angclus, Dominicae resurrcctionis nuntius, stola candida coopertus mulieribus apparuit.
Et, secundum Bedam, vestitus Domini Sanctorum illius chorus accipitur, qui in terris despectus videbatur.
Moraliter circa transfigurationem Dominus tria fecit : quia discipulos assumpsit, niontem ascendit, orationem praemisit ; ad significandum quod ad gloriam non pervenitur, nisi per virtutis societatem, per vitae altitudinem, atque peroiationis devotionem. Feiix ergo qui secum talem comitatum assumpsit, scilicet : Petrum, in quo cognitio; et Jacobum,in quo lucta; et Joannem, in quo gratia signantur! — Assumatergo Petrum, qui interpretatur agnoscens, ut sit in eo cognitio, quae debet esse triplex, scilicet : Dei, sui, et proximi. Cognitio Dei generat dilectionem et cavet desperationem ; cognitio sui generat humilitatem et cavet praesumptionem ; cognitio proximi generat compassionem et cavet crudelitatem. Et sicut suam fragilitatem, sic et mundi vanitatem agnoscat, etagnitam contemnat. — Assumat Jacobum, qui interpretatur luctator, vel supplantator, ut sit in eo lucta, et supplantatio, quae etiam debet esse triplex, scilicet: carnis, mundi atque diaboli , ut contra concupiscentias carnis ct mundi, ac instigationes diaboli fortiter luctetur, et eas devictas subplantaprosternat : nemo enimcoronatur, nisi quilegitime certaverit ; in signum hujus Jacob post luctam accepit benedictionem. — Assumat et Joannem, qui interpretatur gratia^ ut sit in eo gratia, quae similiter debet esse triplex, sciiicet : incipiens, proficiens, et perveniens. Unde Apostolus : Gratia Dei sum id quod sum, quantum ad primam ; et gratia ejus in me vacua non fuit, quantum ad secundam; sed omnibus illis abundantius laboravij non ego autem solus, sed gratia Dei mecum, quantum ad tertiam.
Joannes etiam privilegio singularis amoris Dei dotatus fuit; sic bonum divinum super omnia diligat et in omnibus transitoriis nihil nisi amorem divinum concupiscat. Item, Petrus alio nomine dictus Simon, qui interpretatur obediens, significat obedientiam; Joannes, in quo gratia, significat munditiam; Jacobus vero, qui luctator, vel supplantans, significat paupertatem voluntariam : et ista tria faciunt videre claritatem divinam, sicut isti viderunt transfigurationem. Felix qui talem montem, id est eminentiam vitse ascendit, in quo sunt tres gradus, scilicet : abjectio sui, mortificatio carnis, contemptus mundanae prosperitatis, de quibus supra proximo capitulo : Si quis vult post me venire, abneget semetipsum, et tollat crucem suam, et sequatur me ! Felix qui sic orationi insistit pie, fideliter et perseveranter, donec appareat gloria in facie clerici, qui transfigurantur in solem dum lucent per scientiam, ardent per caritatem, illuminant per exemplum et doctrinam ; et in vestimentis laici, quibus suflicit albedo nivis per munditiam mentis, carnis et operis 1 4 Apparitio Moysis et Eli. e ejusque CAUS. E. — Et ecce apparuerunt illis Moyses jam mortuus, secundum animam, in corpore assumpto, vel sibi adaptato, sicut quando apparent Angeii in corporibus assumptis; et Elias adhuc vivus in anima et corpore proprio, allatus de paradiso. Apparuerunt cum Christo isti duo potius quani aiii, alter mortuus, alter adhuc viYus, in signum quod viventium et mortuorum, seu vitae et mortis sit Dominus, et quod justi tam mortui, qui per Moysen, quam vivi, qui per Eliam, qui tempore judicii vel vivi in carne reperiendi, vel a morte resuscitandi sunt, regnaturi sunt in gloria cum ilio.
Item, ut ostendant ipsum esse quem Legis et Prophetarum scripta praedixerunt et promiserunt, et ut hinc appareat (piod Lex et Frophetae a doctrina Ghristi non discordant ; et quod finis Legis et Prophetarum in suo sermone Ghristus erat, et ejus gloria, propter quam venerant ; et ut ipse ostenderet se esse supra Legem, quam Moyses Legislator dedit, et supra Prophetas, inter quos Elias praedicator prsecipuus fuit. Per Moysen quidem significatur Lex; per Eliam Prophetae; et per Dominum Evangehum. Apparuit ergo Dominus medius inter Moysen et Eliam, tamquam ipse et Evangelium haberent a Lege et Prophetis testimonium. Item, unus mortuus, et alter vivus apparuit, ut significent Ghristum moriturum, et iterum victurum , vel, ut nos mortui simus mundo; vivi autem Deo. Item, ut ex omni parte Ghristus testimonium haberet : de coelo Patrem in voce, de athere nubem, de paradiso Eliam, de terra Apostolos,deinfernoMoysensubditur: Et ecce duo viri isti loquebantur cum illo. ,. et dicebant excessum ejus, quem completurus erat in Jerusalem, id est Passionem, in qua fuit excessus amoris, doloris et humilitatis. Ibi enim amorfuit supra mensuram, secundum illud Joannis : Majorem hac dilecti' onem, etc.
; dolor, supra consuetudinem, secundum illud Threnorum : 0 vos omnes qui transitis ! etc; humilitas, supra virtutem, secundum illud Threnorum : Recordare paupertatiSf etc. Loqui autem ipsorum est, talem gratiam redemptionis futuram per Ghristum, testimoniis Legis et Prophetarum pragfiguratam esse ostendere. Et notandum, quodnon loquebantur de tali materia , tamquam indicantes Ghristo quae nesciret; sed eum adorabant, de adventu ejus in carne; et quia mysterium Passionis, quod ipsi praedixerant, viderunt in Christo complendum ; et laeti fortasse, quia videbant redemptionis suae totiusque humani generis diem appropinquare. Gompatiebantur nihiiominus Christo, quia tam gloriosa facies debebat sic conspui, et sic invidiosc tradi, et judicari, et cruciflgi. Notaudum etiam, quod gaudium mngnum factum est Apostolis ct Prophetis, non solum de transliguratione Ghristi, sed etiam, ut dicit Ephrem, de mutua visione, quia utriusque Testamenti principes congregati sunt, cum Deo Abraham. Videbat enim Moypes, diix Juda^orum, principem Chiislianorum retrum ; cousidcrabat EJias castus virginem Joannem ; et uterque in Jacobo laudabat niartyrii privilegium.
PetVUS vero, et qui cum illo erant, gravati erant somno, oppressi a gloria, quia splendore incomprehensibilis deitalis premuntur sensus humani corporis. Et evigilantes viderunt majestatem ejus ; et duos viros qui stabant cum illo, scilicet Moysen et Eliam, quos cognoverunt praidictae claritalis illustratione. Unde qua? rit Ambrosius : « Quomodo Aposloli cognoverunt Moysen et Eliam , quos numquam viderunt? » Et respondet, quod per majestatem super eos venientem ; in quo innuitur, quod in lutura gloria alter alterum, quem numquam vidit, cognoscet. Secundum Glossam, hic Elias dicitur eximius Prophetarum ; sed contra de David hoc dicitur in prologo, super Psalterium, et etiam de Aloyse in Glossa, super Exodum. Et solvitur, quia Mo\ses fuit eximius Domini familiaritate, signorum ostensione , Legis promulgatione ; Elias eximius vitae austerirate, arguendi auctoritate, vitae diuturnitate ; David eximius prophetiae sublimitate, regia dignitate, et speciali ei facta promissione. Tunc Petrus respondens tamquam ferventior, dixit ad Jesum : Domine, bonum est nos hic me,scilicet in monte, et in contemplationis dulcedine.
Ccelesti enim dulcedine gustata, vilescunt infima. Unde llabanus : « Quo amplius quis degustat dulcedinem vitse calestis, eo amplius omnia aliafastidit in infimis. » Si vis, faciamus hic tria tabernacula, ad manendum, scilicet hic continue : tibi unum, Moysi iinum , et Elise unum ? Non loquebatur de tabernaculo pro se et sociis suis faciendo, quasi supponens se et socios suos, tamquam discipulos, cum Magistro mansuros in suo tabernaculo. Petrus optando commendat Christura, et se in monte manere ex modico gustu participationis futurae gloriae, quam in Christo viderat, ut per hoc discamus quod nihil sit difiicile pro Christo pati, nec tormenta, nec crux, nec mors, ut ad montem coelestis gloria? perveniamus. Si cnim sensibilis visa Christi gloria, sic Petrum in monte impressionibus et intemperiebus subjecto illexit, ut diceret bonum ibi esse et manere, quid aestimandum est dc illa incfTabili et intelJigibili gloria a^terna in ccelo, ubi nulla intemperies, nulla peregrinae impressionis molestia, ubi nullum malum, sed omne bonum obtinebitur ? Unde Beda : « 0 quanta felicitas, visioni deitatis inter Angelos adesse perpetuo , si tantum transformata Christi humanitas, duorumque Sanctorum societas ad punctum visa, delectat, ut eis ne discedant Petrus praestare velit obsequium ' ^■' Ur^: rl Remigius : « Visa Domini najestatej et duorum servorum, Petius adeo delectatus est, ut cuncta tenipc.
ralia oblivionitraderet,etibi in pervetuiim vellet manere. Si autern Petrus sic accensus est, quanta 6rit suavitas et dulcedo videre Regem in deco. e suo, et interesse choris Sanctorum om; ! i <im et Angelorum! » haec Remigius. Sed erravit Petrus, nesciens quid diceret hoc petendo : tum quia in via patriam requirebat, et umbram futurae gloriae quam viderat, veram aestimabat gloriam, oblitus regnum Dei non esse Sanctis promissum in terra, sed in coelo ; tum quia in gloria, tabernacula manufacta necessaria credebat, ignorans domum manulactam non esse necessariam in illo seculo futuro; tum quia se et coapostolos adhuc carne mortali circumdatos esse non advertebat, et absque gustu mortis immortalis vitae statum subire volebat ; tum etiam quia suam et proximorum salutem non attendebat. Unde ait Augustinus : « Quid dicis, sancte Petre? Mundus perit, et tu secretum quaeris 1 Vides tot gentes in unum convenire, et tu quietem diligis !
Vides tenebras mundi, et tu lumen abscontiis ! iYemo quippe accendit lucernam, et ponit eam sub modio, etc. )) Unde et Joannes Damascenus : « Non est tibi, inquit, bonum, Petre, quod Christus ibi moretur, quoniam si ibi mansisset, nequaquam tibi facta promissio consequeretur effectum. Neque enim claves obtinuisses regni, nec morlis tyrannis abolita esset. n Et, ut dicit Chrysostomus : « Quia audivit quod oportet eum Jerosolymam ire et multa pati, adhuc timet pro Christo ; sed post increpationem non audet aperte dicere rursus, propitius esto tibi, sed idem occulte per alia signa insinuat. Quia enim videbat multam quietem et solitudinem , cogitavit convenientem ibi esse slationem ex loci dispositione, quod significat, dicens : Bonum est nos hic esse. Vult etiam semper hic esse; ideo tabernaculorum meminit, dicens : Si vis , faciamus hic tria tabernacula. Cogitavit enim quod si hoc fieret, non ascenderet Jerosolymam, et si non ascenderet Christus, non moreretur; ibi enim sciebat Scribas insidiari ei : » haec Chrysostomus.
Et licet Petrus, ut homo stupefactus, nesciret quid hoc petendo diceret,in hoc tamen suam devotionem ostendit, et in siti sui ardoris monstrat indicium. Unde inebriatus Petrus erat, qui de una gutta \ini coelestis quam biberat,quasi tres labernas facere volebat. Sicut enim ex passionis magnitudine, ut timoris vel moeroris aut amoris, ahquis prorumpit in aliqua verba sine praemeditatiune; ita similiter ex magnitudine devotionis et delectationis expertse, dixit Petrus illa verba, quae tamen non erant rationabilia, quia in solo aspectu humauitatis Christi non consistit essentia beatitudinis ; et ideo illud non debebat sufficere pro finali beatitudine. — In monte Thabor est grande monasterium grandi silva circumdatum, tres habens ecclesias, juxta quod Petrus ait : Faciamus hic tria tabernacula. — Tria tabernacula contemplativus moraliter facit, quando Legem, et Prophetas, et Evangelium practice legendo disponit, scilicet ; corde credendo, ore conUtendo, et opere adimplendo. 6 Tria in transfiguratione consideRANDA : Trinitatis manifestatio, pr^ ElI^ ET ChRISTI CLORiFiCATio. — Scieudum autem quod ista transfiguratio , signiticans gloriam Sanctorum, primo describitur a majestate Dei, quia tota Trinitas ibi apparuit : Pater in voce , Filius ia humana carne, Spiritus Sanctus in nube, per quod datur intelligi quod gloria Sanctorum consistit in fruitione beatissimae Trinitatis. Sicut enim Petrus ebrius ex dulcedine illius claritaiis voluit ibi facere tria tabernacuJa; ita habet homo tria tabernacula in anima sua, qnae nec Moyses, nec Elias, sed sola beata Trinitas delectabiliter inhabitat, secundum illud Joannis evangelistae : Ad eum vcniemus^ et mansionem apud eumfaciemus.
Haec autem sunt : memoria, intelligentia et voluntas. Nam Filius habitat in tabernaculo intelligentia^, implendo ipsam Dei plenissima et lucidissima cognitione; Spiritus sanctus in tabernaculo voluntatis , implendo ipsam sapidissima et suavissima dilectione; Pater in tabernaculo memoriae, implendo ipsam cognitiet dilecti perpetua refectione et securissima intentione : quibus actibus anima in Deum quasi totaliter translormatur, et quodammodo deiformis efficitur. Tunc verificatur, secundum quamdam prsegustationem, illud quod dicitur in Evangelio : Intra in gaudium Domini tui. — Secundo, describitur ista transfiguratio, a societate consortii, quia ibi fuerunt Moyses et Elias ; Jacobus, Petrus et Joannes. In coelesti igitur gloria habebimus socios omnes Veteris et Novi Testamenti Sanctos. Beati Veteris Testamenti distinguuntur in duos ordines, scilicet : Patriarchas, qui intelliguntur per Moysen, et Prophetas qui per Eliam. Sancti autem Novi Testamenti distinguuntur in tres ordines : sciiicet in Martyres, qui per Jacobum ; in Gonfessores, qui pleni sapientia Dei intelliguntur per Petrum, qui interpretatur agnoscens ;iD. Virgines, qui per Juannem.
Vel, dici potest quod Christus voluit habere testimonium sui adventus : ab illis qui sunt in coelo, scilicet a Patre ; et ab illis qui sunt in mundo, scilicet a Petro, Jacobo et Joanne; et ab illis qui sunt in terrestri paradiso, scilicet ab Elia ; et ab illis qui sunt in inferno, scihcet a Moyse. Vcl, per sex personas signantur sex bona, quaj Deus confert contemplantibus, quia in contemplatione : primo mens illuminatur, quod signatur in Petro, qui interprelatur agnoscens ; secundo , caro supplantatur, quod signatur in Jacobo, qui interprctatur siipplantator; tertio, gratia augetur et augmentatur, quod significatur in Joanne, qui interpretatur in quo est gratia ; quarto, mundus contemnitur, quod significatur in Moyse, qui interpretatup assumptus ex aquis; quinto, cor amore intlammatur, quod significatur iu Elia. qui ad coelum raptus fuit in curru igneo; sexto, dulcedo coelestis praegustatur, quod significatur in Jesu. Unde Petrus, qui unam guttam praegustaverat, diiit : Domine, bonum est nos hic esse. . . ^nesciens quid diceret. — Tertio describitur ista transfiguratio a glorificatione subjecti, cum dicitur : Resplenduit facies ejus sicut sol, vestimenta autem ejus facta sunt alba sicut nix : per quae signatur beatitudo et gloria, quibus Sanctorum corpora induentur.
Dominus igitur Petro non respondit ; nam licet ex fervore devotionis loqueretur, tamen quia imprudenter interrogavit, ideo responsionem Domiui non meruit; nondum enim, ut in hac gloria consisteret, tempus erat. Qui autem vult Domino facere tabernacuium, praeparet penetralia cordis sui, et inveniet locum Domino, tabernaculum Deo Jacob : quia vero maie tabernacuium materiale ex frondibus et tentoriis quaesivit, aestimans in aeterna illa gloria temporalia tabernacula esse necessaria, ubi nulla adversitatis aura est timenda, ubi Deus omnipotens templumest, et domus Ecclesiae, ideo nubis lucidae accepit ubumbraculum. Unde sequitur : Adhuc eo loquente^ et de tabernacuiorum visibilium construclione cogitante, ecce nubes lucida obumbraviteos,\d estApostolos,quia majori luce et vera cognitione sutladit, utintelligerent electis in aeterna tabernacula receptis nonessenece ssaria corporalia tabernacula; et eos non esse protegendos legmine domorum, ubi nubis et Spirilus Sancti gloria prolegentur,et m abscondito laciei Domini abscondentur. Et intelligas, quod cuni Petrus loqueretur, interim, antequam verba compleret, disccsserunt Moyses et Elias, et mox nubes subsecuta est, quasi interrumpuntur vcrba ejus per obumbrationem nubis. Quaerebat Petrus terrenum tabernacuIum^etafTuit coeleste obumbraculum; et ista nubes non fuit causata ex istis caliginosis vaporibus, sed ex vehemcntia lucis processit ; quia sicut fumus est ab igne, ita ista nubes luit a luce.
Ad instruendas autem mentes Apostolorum, de cognitione divinitatis Unigeniti Filii Dei, post Moysis et Eliae testimonium, Eccevox Patris de nube^ modo tonitrus testimoniumperhibuit, dicens : Hic est Filius meus^ non adoptive, sed per naturam, dilectus, Filius meus scilicet naturalis et proprius, non aliunde creatus, vel adoptivus. Hoc estjSecundum Amfcrosiwm, non Elias filius, non Moyses filius, sed : Ilic est Filius quem solum videtis ; recesserunt enimilli, ubi coeperat Dominus designari, ut ipse solus demontraretur, ne errarent Apostoli. In quo mihi bene complacui, id est in quo meum beneplacitum de redemptione mundi complere constitui ; vel, secundum Chrysostomum, in quo delector, in quo requiesco, quem accepto, quia omnia quae sunt Patris cum diligentia exsequitur, atque est una eademque voluntas ipsius et Patris; quare, et si crucifigi vuJt, ne contradicas. Ipsum audite ^ magis quani Moysen, vel Eliam, quia Christus finis est Legis et Prophetarum. Ipsum audite, ut supremum et singularem Magistrum, qui docebit vos omnia necessaria ad salutem; ipsum audite, quia veritas est ; ipsum quaerite, quia vita est ; ipsum sequimini, quia via est. Ac si, ut ait Remigius, aliis verbis diceret : Receilant umbrae legales et typi Prophetarum; etsolum coruscum lumen Evangelii sequimini. Felices ergo Apostoli, qui non solum Domini clarilatem videre meruerunt; sed etiam vocem Patris intonantem audierunt! Nec ab hac felicitate nos ex toto alieni erimus, si quem illi crediderunt, et nos credimus; et quomodo illi vixerunt, et nos amando vivimus ; et quem dilexerunt, et nos totis viseribus amamus.
Sed, qnia humana fra^ilitas in praesentia majestatis opprimitur, quia pondus divinitatis et conspectum majestatis gloriae ferre non valet, ideo, subditur : Et audientes discipuli vocem terribilem de nube, ceciderunt in facies suas, non sicut mali, retrorsum. Unde Remigius : « In eo vero quod sancti disf;ipuli in faciem ceciderunt, sanctitatis fuit indicium; impii enim retrorsum cadunt, ut Heli, ut et Judas proditor cum suis satellitibus : » haec Remigius. Cadunt ergo justi in faciem, modo proptertimorem,uthic; modo propterhumiliationem, utMagi: Etprocidentes, adoraverunt eum; modo propter gratiarum actionem, ut seniores ceciderunt in conspectu throni in facies suas. Et timuerunt valde, quia se errasse cognoverunt, quia nubes lucida apparuit, quia vocem quasi tonitrualem, scilicet Patris, cujus majestati timor debetur, audierunt. Ad hanc vocem, ut dicit Ephrem,, fugerunt Prophetse, ceciderunt Apostoli, et timuerunt. Tonitruum quidem terribile fuit; unde de ipsa voce terra sub ipso contremuit. Sed quos humana fragilitas gravabat, benigne pius Magister verbo pariter et actu consolatur et erigit. Nam clementer accessit Jesus, quia per se surgere non poterant, et tetigit eos, familiariter et dulciter, ut tactu debilitata membra solidaret; dixitque eis, ut metum et timorem fugaret : Surgite, contra casum ; et nolite timere, contra metum.
Beati illi, quos tangit Jesus, beati illi, quos tan^it salus et vita I Illi enim surgunt, illi sine timore et securi sunt. Rogemus ergo eum ut et nos tangat, et a somno stuporis et insipientiae excilet; atque ad se videndum nobis 0(;ulus aperiat. Dulcis amicus est, quia pie consolatur et potenter adjuvat. Ad tactum ergo et Gonsolationem Jesu miseratoris, qui prostratis dexteram ad beneficium auxilii porrigit, et jacentes erigit, discipuli surgentes et levantes oculos suos neminem viderunt, nec Moysen, nec Eliam, nisi solum Jesum in figura consueta, qua conversari solebat inter discipulos. Secundum Glossam, si Moyses et Elias perseverassent, vox Patris videretur incerta, cui potius testimonium dedisset ; et ideo recesserunt illi, ne ad eos vox Patris fieri putaretur, sed ut ad solum Jesum pertinere intelligeretur. Allegorice, ablatanube,videruntMoysen et Eliam evanuis>e,acsoIumJesumremansisse; quia postquam Legis et Prophetarum umbra discessit, quae quasi nube Apostolos texerat, viderunt Jesum, et Scriptura illis revelata fuit; et Evangelium, in quo utrumque reperitur, solum remansit.
Notandum autem, secundum Gr/ossam, quod bene convenit mysterium secundae regenerationis, quae scilicet erit in resurrectione, ubi caro resuscitabitur, cum mysterio primae, quae est in Baptismate, ubi anima resuscitatur. In Baptismate enim Christi operatio Trinitatis ostensa est : fuit enim ibi Filius incarnatus, apparuit in specie columbae Spiritus Sanctus, et Pater fuit ibi in voce declaratus. Et similiter in transfiguratione, quae est sacramentum secundae regenerationis, tola Trinitas apparuit : Pater in voce, Filius in homine, Spiritus Sanctus in nube. Nam gloriam illius, quam modo in Baptismate credentes confitemur, in resurrectione videntes collaudabimus. Nec frustra Spiritus Sanctus hic in lucida nube, illic in columba apparuit. Dona enim sua per species declarare solet; innocentiam autem in Baptismate donat, quae per avem simplicitatis designatur ; daturus est autem claritatem et refrigerium in resurrectione, et ideo in nube refrigerium, et in fnlgore nubis claritas resurgentium corporum figuratur. Qui enim nunc simplici corde fidem quam percipit, servat ; tuuc luce apertae visionis quod crediderat contemplabitur, ipsaque, quam lustrabitur in perpetuum, gratia protcgetur. lo Septem rationes propter quas ApOSTOLIS PRiECIPIT m TnANSFIGURATIONE — Et descendentibus illis, scilicet Jesus et discipuli <^jus de monte, prxcepit illis Jesus praecepto instructionis, ne cuiqiiam quse vidissent, narrarent ; nisi cum Filius hominis a mortuis resurrexerit.
Septem vero sunt rationes hujus praecepti : primo, secundum Hieronymum, ne dictum esse incredibile, propter rei magnitudincm, videretur ; secundo, juxta Thomam, \iq homines audientes tam gloriosa de 60 dici, scandalizarcntur postea videntes eum crucifigi; tertio, secundum Remigium, ne praedicatio gloriae Passionis truclum impediret, quia si majestas illius fuisset divulgata in populo, piurimi resistendo principibus sacerdotum Passioncm ejus impedivissent, et sic redemptio humani generis retardata fuisset ; quarto, secundum Eilarium, quia tunc debebant esse testes divinitatis Christi, cum essent Spiritu Sancto repleti, et ad tantae visionis testimonium perhibendum confortati ; quinto, secundum Bamascenum,^ quia alii discipuli adhuc imperfecti fuissent tristati, quod hanc visionem non vidissent, et Judas magis incitatus ad prodilionem Salvatoris fuisset; sexto, quia resurrectio Christi muitum fuit dubitabilis, ideo rescrvata fuit ista visio illo divulganda tempore, quando maxime oportebat ipsi resurrectioni testimonium perhibere, cui praestabat argumentum non modicumipsagloriatransiigurationis, ipsa quoque visio magis credihilis \idebatur, quando etiam visibiliter per resurrcctionem factam monstrabatur; septimo , ut daretur nobis exemplum eaquaiad laudemet gloriam nostram spectant esse occultanda, quamdiu sumus in hac mortali vita, et ad faciendum hoc quod in Ecclesiastico dicitur : iVe laudes virum in specie sua; et in eodem : Ante mortem, ne laudes hominem quemquam. Per hoc etiam ostendit quod secreta et mysteria divina non sunt semper, sed luco et tempore debitis, publiranda; et dedit exemplum viris sanctis, non facile publicandi rovelationes sibi factas, sicut Paulus annis quatuordecim tacuit raptum suum. 11 Transfigurationis Domini temFuit PUS. autem transfiguratio Domini facta circa veris principium, unde Evangelium de transfiguratione legitur in Ecclesia, sabbato quatuor temporum, postprimam in Quadragesima dominicam. Festum vero transfigurationis Domini celebratur sexto kalendas Augusti; quia tunc ab Apostolis fuit transfiguratio praedicata et publicata, quam tacuerunt usque ad diem iilam : Et verhum continuerunt apud se,. . . et nemini dixerunt in illis diebus, propter prohibitionem a Domino eis factam in descensu montis Thabor contra Occidentem, ubi est una capella, ubi Dominus dixit Apostolis: Nemini dixeritis visionem, donec Filius hominis a mortuis resurgat.
ORATIO Jesu, Redemptor perditorum, Salvator redemptorum, animae lacrymosae et post te currcntis dulce solatium et suave refrigerium, da mihi omne delcctamentum extra te respuere et oblivisci, ut tuo sapore merear jucundari; et veniat, oro, tempus, ut quod nunc creio, revclatis oculis tandem aspiciam ; quod nunc spero et a longe saluto, apprehendam; quod pro virihu^ meis considero, ulnis auimae amplectar et deosculer ; et m claritatis tua3 abysso totus abscondar, ut in velamento alarum tuarum sit pax mihi per aevum. Amen. u
Notes
- 1 ↩The source text for this section is fragmented and contains Latin corruption at the end of the sentence; the translation reflects the intended sense of the surviving fragments.
- 2 ↩The Latin 'cognitiet' is a likely scribal error for 'cognitione et'. I have translated it as 'knowledge and love'.
- 3 ↩The source text ends abruptly with ';iD.', which appears to be a garbled fragment or typo. I have translated the preceding list and omitted the trailing fragment.
The Life of Christ (Vita Christi) companion
A prayer for every moment, already on your phone
Chosen Portion puts a curated historic prayer in front of you each day — so the words are there before the moment arrives.
Chosen Portion is the digital descendant of the carried prayer book: the short daily prayers this collection preserves, delivered one a day to your pocket.
- One short, memorable prayer delivered daily — build your repertoire a card at a time
- Prayers matched to real situations: fear, gratitude, decisions, grief, sleep
- Save favourites into your personal pocket collection you can open anywhere