ABOUT OUR WINDOW
Our stained glass window is based on the following text from the Gospel of Matthew.
Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, while he dismissed the crowds. 23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."
Matthew 14:22-27
The right half of the window depicts the image of the battered, beleaguered disciples caught in the stormy waters of the Sea of Galilee. Their little boat is surrounded by tempestuous, ominous waves that threaten to overwhelm them. The figures in the boat are reacting in fear to both the storm that surrounds them and the startling appearance of Jesus as He comes to them across the water. One disciple has covered his face in fear. Another reaches out to Jesus, pleading for help. One disciple offers comfort by placing his hand on the shoulder of another. The overall scene is one of helplessness in the face of elements that are beyond human control, including the sudden, surprising intervention and revelation of God in Jesus.
On the tall, wooden mast that towers over the boat a tattered sail is shredded by the fierce winds. The mast is intended to represent the cross of our Savior. The cross foreshadows Jesus death for the sins of the world and towers over the disciples as a sign of their baptism into Christ. The cross reminds us of the promises received in the Gospel; the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation, promises made to us in baptism and received by faith. At the center of this scene is the presence of the Holy Spirit in the form of a descending dove. It is the Spirit of God that calls us through Gospel to trust God's promises, even when life itself appears to be failing us.
Look carefully at the wooden planks that make up the side of the boat. Hidden within them are images of a fish, symbolic of the people of God. The boat represents the Church, Gods people, as we journey through life, being carried by the promises of God.
Now notice the presence of a crown of thorns, its sharp points emerging from the waters beneath and around the boat. The crown of thorns reminds us that the Church is a community, which like its Lord, is confronted by struggle, conflict and suffering. Turn your attention to the long, triangular center section of the window. At the base of this section you will see large shafts of wheat, symbolizing the second major element in baptism - the promise of our participation in the resurrected life of Christ, here and hereafter. The Church shares in both the suffering and resurrection of her Lord. So, the Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, writes in the letter to the Philippians,
"Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; that I may know Him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death." Philippians 3:8-10
The left side of the window is devoted exclusively to an image of Christ, The Master. In contrast to the turbulent, even chaotic forms in the section on the right, the Christ window is laid out in smooth, horizontal lies emphasizing the peace that accompanies the presence of the Savior. As the story details, the Lord comes to the disciples in the midst of the storm. His arm is outstretched to push back the raging waters. The sky above Christ is tinted with red, foreshadowing His own suffering and death for our sins. The area above the head of Christ depicts a heavily stylized crown. Christ is the beautiful Savior, King of creation. His mastery of the wind and waves underscores the Lords sovereignty and His power over all things. The large anchor beneath His feet underscores the truth that Jesus Christ, alone, is the enduring and trustworthy Word of God.
