The Transfiguration

Vision Transformed

Today, while pondering Christ’s Transfiguration, I couldn’t help but think of comic books. Of course, for me, Calvin and Hobbes is the comic that jumps to mind:

Transmogrifier, Calvin and Hobbes, ca. 1990
by Bill Watterson

There are many stories of transformation or metamorphosis throughout folktales and myths but most of them involve a human being turned into a beast or monster. Watterson plays with this same idea:

The contemporary artworks that focus on the way our lives literally change and transform us seem to align with Christopher Nolan’s Harvey Dent’s philosophy, “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”¹

Batman is the story of how a billionaire becomes a sacrificial knight who is just as wounded as the bad guys he fights. Breaking Bad is about how a school teacher transforms into a drug lord. Every biopic seems to be about a idealistic youth becoming a greedy antisocial power broker. Our perspective is so bound by our finite lives and our stories reflect this. We live and grow until we, like the butterfly out of the cocoon, die. We try to stop our aging, our transforming, to be eternally youthful. Even if we succeed outwardly our hearts seem to become just as beastly as Calvin and Hobbes above.²

Our transformations are temporary and they are bracketed on both sides by ashes and dust.³ The classic riddle, put forth by the Sphinx to Oedipus, captures the vanity of our temporary changes.

Oedipus and the Sphinx, 1864
by Gustave Moreau

The riddle: “What goes on four feet in the morning, two feet at noon, and three feet in the evening?”

The answer: “Man.”

But Christ’s Transfiguration is different. Listen to Sufjan Stevens’ song The Transfiguration

Sufjan sings, “His countenance was modified.” Christ was not modified. His appearance was modified.

The Transfiguration of Our Lord, ca. 1403
by unknown artist

Christ didn’t experience a metamorphosis is the same was as Calvin. He didn’t become anything. The veil concealing his glory was lifted for a moment. He was revealed.

Though Tarantino did not write it as a commentary on Christ’s Transfiguration, Bill’s monologue on Superman in Kill Bill vol. 2 is a pretty decent description of Christ’s nature as well (up until about a minute into this clip):

Unlike Clark Kent, Christ does not critique us when he masks his deific nature. Look at how the disciples, those who knew him well, responded when they saw him transfigured. Peter is dumbfounded and wants to make tents of worship for them. The two others are silently in awe. Christ’s glory is masked that we, lowly as we are, are not blinded by his glory.

He condescends for our sake, not his own desire for a normal life like Clark Kent.

Our imaginations are similar to Calvin’s. We imagine a Christ that needs to go on a journey in order to be transformed into a hero, to earn glory. But he was born perfect. His journey is a journey he took for us. He takes us along with him that we might live to see him as he truly is. That we might have eyes that see.

Mount Tabor
A hymn of the transfiguration
By Daniel Mitsui

Mount Carmel was scorched by the Deity's ire.
Mount Horeb was cloaked by 
     His cloud and His fire.
Mount Nebo is fissured and pitted with caves
Where treasures of treasures 
     are hidden, and graves.
Mount Tabor is favored more terribly still;
Theophany happens on top of this hill.

For here is Elijah, who rode in the car 
With horses like torches, past planet and star;
Who high on a mountain contested belief
By calling down brimstone to burn up the beef.
Elijah, who will in the Antichrist's reign 
Return to bear witness, and for it be slain.

And here too is Moses, with horns like a ram.
Who was the familiar of I Am Who Am:
Who high on a mountain His countenance saw, 
And took from His hands the 
     Commandments and Law;
Who died on a mountain and afterward hides, 
His corse undisclosed while the old earth abides.

Between them is Jesus, His visage as bright 
Compared to the sun as the sun to the night, 
Yet causing no blindness, no blister or burn:
A face that anticipates glory eterne.
He holds conversation with friend and with friend, 
Their Law and their Prophecy's ultimate end.

And here is Saint Peter, who sees the event, 
And makes the proposal to build each a tent.
And here is a nimbus, and here is a voice.
My Son and My dearworth, in whom I rejoice:
Attend Him! the voice from the nimbus exclaims,
Astounding Saint Peter,
     Saint John, and Saint James.

Arise, ye who grovel, and be unafraid, 
Says Jesus, who offers them comfort and aid.
Of what ye have seen here, let nothing be said 
Until I have died and returned from the dead.
He climbs off the mountain and exits anon, 
Ahead of Saint Peter, Saint James, and Saint John.
 

1. From the Dark Knight.

2. Read The Picture of Dorian Gray and tell me it doesn’t remind you of celebrities getting plastic surgery.

3. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.