HUMILITY:   
THE PRECONDITION
for TRANSFORMATION
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

 

 

 

IN our discussion of the virtue of humility in The Rule of Benedict and the sources of his Rule is based, we noted that an import aspect of this virtue is “the willingness to listen, learn and change.”

 

WITHOUT adding anything new to what we have considered, we will look at three images -  icons, as it were, that that depict this change.  First is a literal icon: namely, the Transfiguration mosaic in the apse of the Church of St. Katherine in Sinai.  The other two are “literary icons,” precious treasures from our Benedictine heritage: the story of her conversion by St. Gertrude the Great; and the concluding chapters of the Life of St. Benedict in the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transfiguration

 

 



BENEDICTINES
 and THE MYSTERY
of   THE TRANSFIGURATION
  


 Transfiguration, St. Katherine's, Sinai, ca. 6th century.

 

 

THE feast of the Transfiguration owes its place in the calendar of the western church to the Benedictine Saint Peter the Venerable, Abbot of Cluny (1094-1166).  Influenced by the emphasis on this mystery in the eastern churches, he introduced the feast at Cluny and encouraged its celebration in the West.

UNLIKE later “canonical” eastern icons of the Transfiguration of Christ, the mosaic in the apse of the church in the monastery of St. Katherine in Sinai, which reflects the spirituality of St. Benedict's era, the disciples are not cringing in pain with averted eyes, but are rather gazing on Christ and are themselves thus transfigured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apse, St. Katharine's Monastery, Sinai.  ca. 550.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Novgorod Icon, 15th C

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. THE LIFE of BENEDICT

 

 

 

 

 


 THE HUMILITY
of SAINT BENEDICT
in The Dialogues
of GREGORY the GREAT
 

 


POPE Gregory the Great is one of the first interpreters of the rich legacy of St. Benedict.  He is the author of the Life of St. Benedict which comprises the second book of Gregory's famous Dialogues.

THIS book portrays St. Benedict's spiritual progress from solitary hermit to abbot of a community, and the last chapters depict his gradual transformation from zealous, miracle-working ascetic to attentive, receptive contemplative.

THIS transformation is summarized in the story of his meeting with his sister Scholastica, where many of the characteristics of humility prized by modern psychologists are vividly depicted, including: acceptance of the limitations of one’s abilities; a deeper appreciation of the true significance of others; and a clearer appreciation of one’s place in the world - indeed of the universe!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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