The Transfiguration of Christ, an icon by Nikolay Koshelev (1840-1918) painted onto the ceiling of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on the Blood in St Petersburg, Russia. Christ in the centre is accompanied by Moses and Elijah.
Introduction
One day, Jesus took three of his closest disciples up a mountain, and there briefly revealed himself to them as he truly is. For St Bede, the 8th century Northumbrian monk, it was a reminder that the light of heaven comes to those whose hearts are in heaven.
And he was transfigured before
them.
And his raiment became shining,
exceeding white as snow;
so as no fuller on earth can white them.
INTENDING to display his glory to his disciples, he led them to a high mountain, to teach everyone who wishes to see this not to wallow among base pleasures, or serve fleshly enticements, or cling to earthly desires, but to rouse himself towards what is above by the love of things that are eternal: we should always imitate a life of angelic cleanness, piety, peace and justice, so far as is possible to mortals, like the one who said, ‘For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ’.*
Intending to display the glory of his majesty, he led his disciples to the mountain, that they might learn – that all who thirst to see this might learn* – that it is not to be sought in the lowlands of this age, but in the realm of a blessedness upon high ground.
Freely translated from the Latin
Freely translated from ‘A Sermon on the Transfiguration’, by St Bede of Jarrow (?632-735).
See Philippians 3:20-21. When the Authorised Version was made in 1611, the word ‘conversation’ was already rather an old-fashioned term for one’s everyday family and social life. The translation ‘citizenship’ is widely used today. Paul is saying that Christians are not Roman Citizens who look to the Roman state for their identity and patterns of behaviour, but Heavenly Citizens whose lifestyle follows the fashions in vogue above.
There are countless reports of saints who have seen the uncreated light of heaven. See for example our story about Bede’s contemporary St Wilfrid, in St Wilfrid and the Angel of Light.
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Justice. Possible. Whence.
2 Bless. Ground. Wallow.
3 No. Say. So.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Ground. 2. Serve. 3. Can. 4. Base. 5. See. 6. Lead. 7. Saw. 8. Like.
Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Love. 2 Become. 3 Shine. 4 Lead. 5 Serve. 6 Base. 7 Display. 8 Snow. 9 Look.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
wnd (6+1)
owned. wand. waned. weaned. wind. wound.
wend.
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