Paul Claudel, Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Mark (Mk 9:2-10)
Mark 9:2-10
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.
- New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
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“Let us go up to Tabor with him: Jesus is ready. The host is going to be elevated for an instant, we come to the heart
of the Sacred Mysteries.
The perfect man in the Christ fulfils his perfect
appearing,
And by themselves, his feet are separated
from the earth.
The grain is hard, the grape is swollen, it is summer. The time has come when God at last crowns
His entire creature.
Human beings are perfect animals, Jesus is the
consummate human being,
Every living form in Him attains His paragon
supreme.
His clothing becomes like snow,
his flesh shines like light.
The Law and the Prophets suddenly appear in his
presence.
Like the iris where the sun is reflected, and like the Son
when the Father is present:
“You are my well-loved Son to whom I have given my
consent.”
Do we understand that at this moment our Brother
has changed us?
His face, his eyes, – his heart; – his feet that
we have touched?
Our face completely mirroring
His features.”
- Paul Claudel, Poetic Breviary, Paris, LGF, the “Livre de Poche” collection, 1971, pages 153-155.
- Translation : Ted Witham tssf, 2022
- Paul Claudel (1868-1955) was a French Roman Catholic playwright, poet, exegete and diplomat.