Window 5b: The Transfiguration

The second panel of Window 5 illustrates the transfiguration, as described in Mark 9:2-4: 

And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves:  and he was transfigured before them.  And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.  And there appeared unto them Elijah with Moses:  and they were talking with Jesus.

Window 5b:  "He was transfigured
before them" (Mark 9:2)

 In the image medallion, Christ, larger and higher than the others, appears in white, surrounded by gold rays to signify the shining of his clothing in transfiguration.  

The three disciples, Peter, James, and John, stand on the left, looking up at him.  On the right are Moses and Elijah.  Moses is holding the tablets of the law, while Elijah, who represents the prophets has his hands raised before his breast in prayer.  All five men are of similar height and color, suggesting they are relatively equal in importance.  Note that the Old Testament figures wear slightly different halos (see "A Few Notes about Halos" for more information).

In this way, we are able to visualize Christ as the fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah), as He himself indicated in Matthew 5:17 (Window 5a).  He is similar to both Moses and Elijah, but greater.

The image in the symbol medallion is the five-pointed star of Epiphany which revealed the infant Christ to the Wise Men, and here provides a similar revelation to the three disciples, for they hear "a voice [coming] out of the cloud saying, This is my beloved son:  hear him" Mark 9:7b.

The disciples, therefore,  have a moment of realization, recognizing who Christ truly is and how he relates to leaders and prophets who preceded him.  It is a moment to sustain them, and us today, at times when our faith stumbles and we feel overwhelmed.

Prayer:

Thank you, Father, for the gift of your Son, and for this revelation to the disciples that helps clarify Christ's position as a fulfillment of Old Testament law and prophecy.  Amen.

 

North Aisle, Window 5:  Sermon on the Mount; Transfiguration

Window Dedication:

Given by Mrs. H. Frostad in 
loving memory of her husband Henry Frosted 

Window 5a: The Sermon on the Mount

 The first panel of the fifth window along the North aisle depicts Jesus teaching.  The focus text comes from the Sermon on the Mount as described in Matthew, chapters 5-7:

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain:  and when he was set , his disciples came unto him:  and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying (Matt 5: 1-2) .... And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:  For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes (Matt 7:28-29)

Chapter 5 includes the beatitudes and the focus text for this panel, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (5:16); chapter 6 includes the Lord's Prayer; chapter 7 provides guidance regarding rash judgement, false prophets, and prayer.

North Aisle, Window 5a:  "Let your light so shine
 before men" Matt. 5:16

The illustration in the image medallion represents Christ, standing with hands raised in a teaching pose similar to that of Window 2b (Jesus in the Temple).  Seven disciples sit at his feet looking up at him, their hands over their hearts, perhaps suggesting their amazement at his teaching.

The image in the symbol medallion is two tablets with the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), which represent the Law as established by Moses.  The symbol reminds us of the frequent comparisons between Jesus and Moses (see Window 2a, The Flight into Egypt); of the Old Testament Law, Jesus says, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets;  I am not come to destroy but to fulfill" (Matt 5:17).

It is interesting to note that, in the Sermon on the Mount (contained in Matthew 5-7), Jesus mentions a number of old testament commandments, including 

• Thou shalt not kill
• Thou shalt not commit adultery
• Thou shalt not forswear thyself
• Love thy neighbor

In each case, Jesus explains how the law should be "fulfilled," saying that anger, lust, and swearing (making a vow) should also be avoided, while loving your neighbor should be expanded to include loving your enemy.  The Law provides a baseline, but Jesus says we should move beyond a strict legal interpretation to understanding the righteousness we should strive for before God:

For I say to you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shalt in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:20)

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, help us each day to look beyond our duty to see how we may go beyond the expectations of the world around us, that we may offer our best work and selves to you.  By doing so, may the light of our work shine before others, that they may also look to you.  Amen. 

North Aisle, Window 5:  Sermon on the Mount; Transfiguration

Window Dedication:

Given by Mrs. H. Frostad in
loving memory of her husband Henry Frostad

Window 4b: Raising Jairus' Daughter

The second panel of the fourth window along the north aisle depicts Jesus raising Jairus' daughter from the dead:

And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, and besought him greatly, saying My little daughter lieth at the point of death:  I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live....and he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her...Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.  And straightway the damsel arose, and walked (Mark 5 22-23, 41-42a).

North Aisle Window 4b:  Damsel, I say unto thee,
arise (Mark 5:41b)

This event in Jesus' ministry seems to fit especially well with the event depicted in Window 4a, for it shows that Jesus not only commanded natural phenomena (the tempest in Window 4a) but also life itself, by bringing Jairus' daughter back to life. 

 In the foreground of the image medallion, we see Jesus healing Jairus' daughter.  In the background, however, we see another scene illustrating an event inset in the narrative of Jesus walking with Jairus to his home, Mark 5:24-34:  Jesus healing the woman with an issue of blood.  Her faith was such that she believed, 

 If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.  And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed (Mark 5:28-29). 

Inset, Window 4b:  Woman with 
an issue of blood

In this way, the image imitates the narrative, embedding one story (of the woman) in the larger story of Jesus raising Jairus" daughter.

The image in the symbol medallion is the Cross Potent.  This cross is made up of four tau crosses (crosses shaped like the capital letter "T" or Tau in Greek).  The tau cross reminds us of the passage in  Numbers when Moses raised up a cross upon which he placed a bronze snake; all who looked up at this cross were healed (Numbers 21:5-9).  Some have noted that the cross also looks like a crutch!  The Cross Potent is therefore a symbol of Christ's healing ministry.

Prayer:

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your healing power in our lives.  Help us to have the faith of Jairus and the woman with the issue of blood, so you can bring peace and healing when we are in distress.  Amen.

 

North Aisle, Window 4:  Stilling the Tempest;
Raising Jairus' Daughter

Window Dedication:

In memory of Ivan and Herbert and Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Hansen

Window 4a: Stilling the Tempest

The first panel of the fourth window along the north aisle depicts Jesus calming a storm:

And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.  And behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves:  but he was asleep.  And his disciples came to him, and awake him, saying, Lord, save us:  we perish.  And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?  Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.  But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!  (Matt 8:23-27).

North Aisle, Window 4a:  Why are ye fearful,
O ye of little Faith?  Matt. 8:26

The depiction of the event in the image medallion is once again quite straight-forward.  We see four men seated in a boat, with Christ standing (and larger), signifying his importance in the scene.  The men are looking up to him, while he appears calm; perhaps his outstretched arms, palms open and up, depicts the question of the text, "Why are ye fearful?"    

The impact of the tempest can be seen in the waves in the foreground, as well as in the tattered sail hanging from the mast to the left of Jesus' head.

In the symbol medallion, we see the "Globus Cruciger," or orb and cross.  The orb represents the world, while the cross represents Christ.  In placing the cross above the globe, the symbol indicates Christ's supremacy over the world, directly confirming what the disciples say:  "Even the winds and the sea obey him!"

Prayer:

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your mastery over the world which often seems so out of control to us.  Help us remember that You are in charge, and that all things will work out according to Your purposes.  Amen.

North Aisle, Window 4:  Stilling the Tempest;
Raising Jairus' Daughter

 Window Dedication:

In memory of Ivan and Herbert and Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Hansen

Window 3b: Calling the Disciples

In the second panel of Window 3, we see Jesus calling the disciples, telling them "I will make you fishers of men" (Mark 1:17):

 Now as he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.  And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.  And straightway they forsook their nets and followed him.  And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.  And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants and went after him. (Mark 1:16-20).

Window 3b:  "I will make you 
fishers of men" (Mark 1:17)

The event depicted in the image medallion is quite straight-forward:  Jesus stands in the forefront, hand upraised, speaking to two men (presumably Peter and Andrew).  These men are smaller than Jesus and looking up to him, representing the response to Jesus' authority.  In the background is their boat, left behind as they follow Jesus.

The symbol medallion contains the Chi-Rho, an X superimposed on a P, which are the first two letters of "Christ" in Greek.  This symbol is also called a "christogram," or monogram of Christ, and was first used in a Christian context by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century as part of his military standard:  according to Eustabus (an early church father who wrote a biography of Constantine), 

The emperor constantly made use of this sign of salvation as a safeguard against every adverse and hostile power, and commanded that others similar to it should be carried at the head of all his armies (chapter 31).

This military use of the christogram resulted in widespread use across the empire to signify Christ and His presence in our lives.  

Additional interpretations of this symbol include a comparison of the Chi with the X-shaped cross, while Rho looks something like a shepherd's staff.  These possibilities remind us of Christ as both our Savior and our Shepherd.

Prayer:

Lord, help us to leave behind the many things tying us to this world, to follow you just as your disciples chose to do long ago in Galilee.  Like them, may we sense the security of your presence and the grace of your salvation.  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

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

Window 2b: Jesus in the Temple

Window 2b:  Jesus in the Temple

And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem....[and] they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions.  And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers (Luke 2:42a, 46b-47)

The second panel in Window 2 shows us the young Jesus speaking to three listeners.  He appears to be the one teaching rather than "hearing them and asking them questions," since his hand is raised as if making a point and he is standing while his listeners are seated.  The three listeners appear attentive, with hands on their hearts to signify their amazement.  

In the back right, Mary and Joseph stand in the doorway -- they have been searching for three days for their son, only to find him back at the temple.

In the symbol medallion, we see the Lamb of God with the cruciform banner of victory (as described in the Sept. 1948 dedication bulletin).  This image is called the Agnus Dei, used as a symbol of Christ.

A banner was often used by the military as a means of promoting unity, focus, and morale.  In Exodus 17:15, after the Israelites won their first battle after leaving Egypt, Moses built an alter and called it "The Lord is my Banner," reminding the Israelites that God was with them and made them victorious.  

In medieval art the banner is often shown with the wording "Agnus Dei," which means Lamb of God, reminding us that Christ, through his sacrifice, is with us and gives us victory over sin and death.

To fly the banner from a cruciform (cross-shaped) pole simply intensifies this understanding of Christ's victory over sin and death.

The lamb has a halo, signifying its representation of Christ, the Lamb as depicted in Revelation, who "shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters" (Rev. 7:17).

The Agnus Dei

Taken together, then, the symbol shows us Christ preparing for the upcoming battle, a powerful Lamb who  carries the banner of victory on a cross, illustrating the paradox of victory through suffering and sacrifice.  And this understanding certainly matches symbolically with the central event of the panel:  at twelve, Jesus is already preparing to "be about [his] Father's business" (Luke 2:49b).

Prayer (using the word of the liturgical "Agnus Dei"):

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.  Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace. Amen.

 

Window 2:  The Flight into Egypt; Jesus in the Temple

Window Dedication:

Window 2 is a gift from James Olsen