Window 3a: Jesus' Baptism

 In the third window along the North aisle, we move to the start of Jesus' ministry; at this point, Jesus is about 30 years old (Luke 3:23).  In the first panel, we see Jesus' baptism by his cousin, John the Baptist:

Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased (Luke 3:21-22).

Window 3a:  "The Holy Ghost descended
 like a dove upon him" Luke 3:22a

In the image medallion, John the Baptist stands on the bank of the river, holding a cruciform staff (a staff with a cross-shaped end).  This staff contrasts with the lily-topped staffs depicted in Windows 1 and 2; we have moved from the purity and innocence of childhood to the sacrificial mission of adulthood.  

Jesus stands in the Jordan River, praying, as a dove descends above his head.  We see him humbling himself by receiving a baptism of water at the start of his ministry, and immediately also receiving a baptism of the Holy Ghost, signifying God's presence in his upcoming work.

The image in the symbol medallion is the scallop shell, a common symbol for baptism in Christian churches today, perhaps because baptism in medieval art often shows a scallop shell being used to pour water over the head of the person being baptized. 

 It is also a symbol of pilgrimage or spiritual journey; during medieval times, the scallop shell was a pilgrim's badge, particularly for those who traveled to Santiago de Compostelo, Spain (to the shrine of St. James the Greater).  

The shell therefore represents the idea of spiritual transformation, through both baptism and pilgrimage which provides an interpretation of Jesus' baptism not only as an event but also a transformative spiritual moment in His life journey, the moment when He sets His path toward the cross.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, as we remember our baptism and the saving grace of your sacrifice, help us remain humbly in your will along our life journey, trusting in the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Amen.

North Aisle, Window 3:  Jesus' Baptism and Calling the Disciples

Window Dedication:

In Loving Memory of Anton H. Nelson
by Mrs. Nelson and Children