St. Dominic & the Transfiguration
St. Dominic depicted with his brethren in the Mascarella Table, one of the earliest images we have of St. Dominic.
This year’s feast of St. Dominic is particularly special to us, as the Order of Preachers celebrates a Jubilee in honour of our founder’s entrance into eternal life. St. Dominic died eight hundred years ago on the 6th of August, 1221. On that same day each year, the Church also celebrates the Transfiguration of our Lord. “While Jesus was praying He was transfigured” (Lk 9:29) and His physical appearance was changed. “His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” (Mt 17:2).
Our Father, Dominic, was a man full of light. We recall how a nun, Blessed Cecilia (+1236), described him : “From his brow and eyes emanated a kind of radiance which drew everyone to revere and love him.” Dominic can be recognized, from among the saints, in the images and iconography as the one with a star shining near his head and often from his forehead.
Dominic was transfigured by God. This transformation of his very flesh was a powerful holy preaching. It was perhaps God’s response to the heretics, the Cathars, who denied the Incarnation (that God should become human) because they could not believe in the goodness of created matter, especially the goodness of the human body. Here was a man, so espoused by God, (body, soul and spirit), that his very flesh radiated God’s loving presence.
When I was prioress of the monastery in Prouilhe (France), I used to love to walk along the dirt road up to the cross of Sicaire; I would take off my shoes and walk in the steps of Dominic. This was where the heretics had lain in waiting and planned to kill him. Dominic didn’t even need to open his mouth, let alone preach to them. The would-be assassins simply looked at him. They were totally disarmed and compelled to change their minds when they saw his joyful countenance welcoming them.
The Libellus of Bl. Jordan of Saxony speaks of Dominic’s face and the kindliness of his expression (#103). His face was radiant with cheerfulness.
He was like our great-great-great grandfather Anthony of the Desert. Athanasius presented St. Anthony as a living refutation of the Arian heresy. God had so transformed and transfigured Anthony through prayer that his person, his being, even his body, were divinized.
By his radiant life, and his transfigured body, he was living proof that “God became as we are so that we may become as He is.”
The transfiguration reveals a great mystery. God desires to manifest Himself, and He chose matter to do so. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). This is exactly the good news that Dominic wanted to preach to the Cathars.
God can and does raise up persons, and especially communities, who are mysteriously transformed, transfigured, through prayer; persons and communities who, like Dominic are full of light, goodness, love, joy, and yes, even cheerfulness. They are Epiphany people, and those who meet them somehow see Jesus. They are a Holy Preaching.
On the feast of the Transfiguration we read, “While Jesus was praying He was transfigured” (Lk 9:29). It was in and by prayer that Anthony and Dominic were transformed.
The psalmist says: “The one who looks towards the Shekinah (glory) shall shine resplendently.”
So let us look towards our Lord, and all the manifestations of His loving presence around us, and let our lives be transfigured. Our gentle and joyful Father Dominic loved to encourage the brethren, saying “Let us go forward thinking of (looking towards) our Saviour.”
+ Sr. Claire, O.P.
Queen of Peace Monastery
Squamish, B.C.
P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about the Mascarella Table, the Order of Preachers has a fascinating article about the painting’s origin and adventures over the past 800 or so years. It was selected as the image of St. Dominic for this Jubilee because, as our Master Gerard Timoner II, O.P. explained, it celebrates St. Dominic “not as a saint alone on a pedestal,” but “with his community, with his brothers.” It is a symbol of simplicity and communion for our times.