Three Minutes with Newman
“Transfiguration Matins” St. John Henry Newman
June 16, 2024
St. John Henry Newman knew both Latin and Greek. With his love for and skill in writing poetry, it’s not surprising that he turned his attention to translating Latin hymns from the Breviary while he was still an Anglican. Many of these translations would eventually find their way into Newman’s Oratory Hymnbook after his conversion to Catholicism. St. John Henry’s dear friend and fellow Oratorian and convert, Edward Caswall, inspired by Newman, also translated many of the Latin hymns from the Breviary.
This particular Hymn, “Transfiguration Matins,” was originally a poem written in the 4th century by Prudentius, a Roman lawyer turned mystic. Prudentius’ Latin poetry is much loved and often translated into hymns. As a point of interest, Prudentius’ place of birth is thought to be Zaragoza in what is now Spain, which during Prudentius’ time was the city “Caesaraugusta,” part of the Roman Empire.
Newman’s translations are masterful. Often there is a misconception regarding translation that it’s just a simple operation of turning one language to another. In reality, it’s a very intricate process since many words from the source language have no direct cognates in the target language. Remember the four loves in Greek where there is only one word in English. The Bible in all its various English translations also give an indication of the translator’s art. In addition to selecting appropriate words for the translation, the translator must also make the poetic line an English line of poetry. Thus, translations of poetry are often considered original works. There have been many many translations of this Prudentius poem, “Quicumque Christum Quaeritis,” but Newman’s is among the best, with regular meter making it easily sung.
In the first stanza, “O YE who seek the Lord/Lift up your eyes on high” refers to the disciples Peter, James, and John, who are given a glimpse of God’s glory on Mt. Tabor as described in the Gospels. They were overwhelmed by this, which was only a partial manifestation of the majesty of Christ’s glorified Body. By seeing Christ transfigured, they were given a glimpse of God.
The next stanza is an attempt to give words to something that in reality cannot be described in words, which is the uncreated light of God: older than the stars and without limit, existing before the universe itself.
The third and fourth stanza refer to the birth of the Christ which was foretold in the Old Testament, to be the King of Gentiles and of the Jews, as promised to Abraham.
The final stanza is beautiful because it shows us the reality of the Incarnation. Jesus, who is God, walked on earth among men; therefore His “beaming face” has been seen. Here is the poem:
Transfiguration Matins
Quicunque Christum quæritis.
O YE who seek the Lord,
Lift up your eyes on high,
For there He doth the Sign accord
Of His bright majesty.
We see a dazzling sight
That shall outlive all time,
Older than depth or starry height,
Limitless and sublime.
‘Tis He for Israel’s fold
And heathen tribes decreed,
The King to Abraham pledged of old
And his unfailing seed.
Prophets foretold His birth,
And witness’d when He came,
The Father speaks to all the earth
To hear, and own His name.
To Jesus, who displays
To babes His beaming face,
Be, with the Father, endless praise,
And with the Spirit of grace. Amen
The hymn is one that turns on the image of light, as reality and as metaphor. The true light of Christ’s divinity was made visible to the Apostles at the Transfiguration. Even as a child His light shone forth in His Sacred Humanity. He is the light of men that came into the world. We are invited to bathe in that light, and little by little be transformed into his likeness.
The hymn’s ending shows that God has revealed Himself to the “little ones,” to us, in Jesus Christ, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit which is the very same uncreated light of God the disciples glimpsed. We who cannot even look at the created light of the sun without harming our eyes, were given the true light to gaze upon and adore in Jesus.
Included is a link for a recording of Prudentius’ Latin Hymn:
