parish stained glass windows - st. mary's...

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Parish Stained Glass Windows Christian Art is a specific genre in the world of art which often depicts eternity in a world that is fleeting. The stained-glass windows in our parish Church are a perfect example of Christian art. I invite you to behold our Church after sunset when it is in darkness. If you see the windows in absolute darkness, all you can see is dark colored glass. However, when the natural light of the sun rises and pierces through them it illuminates and reveals the hidden beauty of the stained glass. I perceive a visual theology in this act. Our lives are much like the stained glass windows. When we are away from God our lives are like the stained glass windows viewed in the dark. Let us allow ourselves to let God pierce through our sinful lives, so He can illuminate them like the beautiful windows. Because it is in our weaknesses that the grace of God is manifested fully (2 Cor. 12:9). The stained-glass windows of our Church serve to explain various scriptural passages. Stay tuned to grasp what each of our Church windows conveys to us. Christ the King Window On the right side of the altar (or from the people’s perspective on the left) there is a stained glass image of Christ the King. Jesus calls: “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11: 28). The window portrays many who suffered - the displaced, orphans, widows, prisoners, homeless, a dead soldier, peasants, and a religious leader. I would like to draw your attention to a particular

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Page 1: Parish Stained Glass Windows - St. Mary's Churchstmarysdedham.com/wp-content/uploads/...Windows-2.docx · Web viewParish Stained Glass Windows. Christian Art is a specific genre in

Parish Stained Glass Windows

Christian Art is a specific genre in the world of art which often depicts eternity in a world that is fleeting. The stained-glass windows in our parish Church are a perfect example of Christian art. I invite you to behold our Church after sunset when it is in darkness. If you see the windows in absolute darkness, all you can see is dark colored glass. However, when the natural light of the sun rises and pierces through them it illuminates and reveals the hidden beauty of the stained glass. I perceive a visual theology in this act. Our lives are much like the stained glass windows. When we are away from God our lives are like the stained glass windows viewed in the dark. Let us allow ourselves to let God pierce through our sinful lives, so He can illuminate them like the beautiful windows. Because it is in our weaknesses that the grace of God is manifested fully (2 Cor. 12:9). The stained-glass windows of our Church serve to explain various scriptural passages. Stay tuned to grasp what each of our Church windows conveys to us.

Christ the King Window

On the right side of the altar (or from the people’s perspective on the left) there is a stained glass image of Christ the King. Jesus calls: “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11: 28). The window portrays many who suffered - the displaced, orphans, widows, prisoners, homeless, a dead soldier, peasants, and a religious leader. I would like to draw your attention to a particular character in the window, it is a king or a prince with authority, revealed by the crown that he wears. He is rich but doesn't have a peaceful mind and so he is sobbing to Christ the King. Our human life is temporary. In one way or another we can associate our life with the characters who are surrounding Jesus in that window. In difficult moments don’t forget that we have a King who is the King of the universe. Go to Him, and He will shine His light like the bright sun into our life; as it is inscribed at the bottom of the window “Come to Me all you that labor, and are burdened and Jesus will refresh you.” On seeing the window don’t forget to take the message - in all kinds of situations, Jesus Christ, the King always allows His light to shine on you to make you radiant. 

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Pentecost Window

This window portrays the event from the Acts of the Apostles – the Descent of the Holy Spirit on Mother Mary and the Apostles (Acts 2: 1- 13). After this event, the Apostles, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, started preaching the Gospel to all the world. Before the Holy Spirit is given to them, they were anxious and closed themselves in the Upper Room out of fear - but after receiving the Holy Spirit, they were brave. They started proclaiming Jesus and nothing could stop them, not even death. This window in our Church silently tells their story. On seeing this window, give up all your anxieties because the same Spirit which our Lady and the Apostles received also is given to you through Baptism and confirmed through Confirmation. Now it is our duty to proclaim Jesus to our neighbor through our words and deeds. The God who penetrates our hearts like a light through this window, will allow His light to shine through us as well.Have you ever wondered how the color is given to the Stained glass? Because if you paint on the ordinary glass it may look good but will not allow the light to pass through. What is the secret behind these colored glasses? Next we will explore that process.

Stained glass is made when colors are added to the glass and when metal oxide is mixed into the molten glass at the time of production. Copper oxide, under different conditions, produces ruby, blue, or green colors in glass. Cobalt is usually used to produce most shades of blues. Green shades can also be obtained from the addition of chromium and iron oxide. Golden glass is sometimes colored with uranium, cadmium sulfide, or titanium, and there are fine selenium yellows as well as vermilions. Ruby colored glass is also made by adding gold.

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The Nativity of Christ Window

This window, which depicts the story of the Nativity, captures for us the beautiful story of the birth of Christ ~ The moment the Word became flesh. We all know the story of Christmas and love that season which is filled with hope and joy. At Christmas, there are many fun and festive celebrations that take place which draws us into the gift of family and friends. Along with these celebrations, Christmas manifests the Divine love ~ the very mystery of God’s love for each of us. God became Man for our salvation. I would like to draw your attention to the bottom of the window where you can see a shepherd’s hat and a king’s crown. On seeing the whole scene, it is arranged consistently by placing the Child Jesus in the middle of kings and shepherds. The shepherd’s hat and king’s crown which is placed beneath the foot of the Holy Child tells not only of His identity but that all we have, including the life, belongs to God alone. Christ, as we saw in the first window, is the King of the Universe ~ hence the king’s crown. As king, He is called to shepherd His flock in humility and love ~ hence the shepherd’s hat. Like the Magi, all gifts are left at the feet of Christ for Him to use. That is also the reason we see that crown and hat submitted to Christ. Our Church windows come under the category of Kiln arts. What is

Kiln artwork? Let’s take a moment and describe it.

With a special ceramic paint – commonly known as "vitrifiable" paint, the characters in the windows are painted. This paint has the potentiality to become part of the glass if the painted glass is baked for certain degree in the kiln. This is called kiln artwork.

The Last Supper Window

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This window reflects the scene of the Lord’s Last Supper.  All four Gospels in Scripture describe this event (Mt. 26:17–30, Mk. 14:12–26, Lk. 22:7–39 and Jn. 13:1–17:26). I would like to draw your attention to a particular character in the scene. The apostles are sitting around Jesus while he is instituting the Eucharist; all their eyes are fixed on Jesus except one – Judas. More specifically Judas is looking at the money bag which he is holding in the scene. He was not aware that he was consuming the body of Jesus. As the Gospel according to John explains Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel - after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After he took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (Jn 13: 26-27).  Judas replaced Jesus with money. He was looking for a luxurious and comfortable life. In that pursuit, he actually lost his life. The rest, who fixed their eyes on Jesus, lost their lives as well but gained their heavenly dwelling. It is very important to understand the irony especially in this fast moving mechanized and consumerist world, so that we may not lose our lives. 

Do you realize that our parish stained glass windows are from both Minnesota and the Austrian city of Innsbruck?

The Presentation of Christ Window

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Often, we worry about death. Here we see a man who embraces death as his reward. This stained glass window represents the Gospel passage from Luke 2: 22–38, which is the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. Simeon identified the salvation of God in the Infant Jesus who He holds in his arms. He raised Jesus up and proclaimed the coming salvation with joy. You may be aware that Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on this day, when Simeon embraced the Child in his arms, January 7th instead of  December 25th. This window invites us to constantly exercise our duty of revealing Jesus to the world. This responsibility is given to us through Baptism. If we rejoice in giving Jesus to others, then nothing should scare us, not even death. In the Divine Office, during Night Prayer, the hymn of Simeon is recited. The canticle is as follows:

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;  your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations 

and the glory of your people Israel.

The Resurrection Window

This window depicts the Resurrection of our

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Lord Jesus Christ. The Resurrection is the focal point of our Christian belief; as St. Paul says in his first letter to Corinthians:

“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1Corinthians 15:14).

Our Lord not only lived an ordinary human life but also paid our ransom through His death on the cross. In some religions, the blame always falls on humans. They believe that humans must overcome their past deeds (Karma) in this world and attain salvation by their own deeds. This raises a question, what is the role of God then? Christianity, however, teaches that out of mercy, God sent His only Son as He promised and gave us everlasting life through the death and Resurrection of Jesus. Next time, stop next to the window and say:

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Corinthians 15:55-57)