The four panes on the left side of the window illustrate the Holy Spirit’s work in the world before the birth of Jesus. All of the panes connect Old Testament times directly with the New Testament. The first pane to the left of Moses is the prophet Joel, one of the minor prophets. He prophesied during an invasion of locusts which devastated the land. He called people to repentance, that the Lord would have mercy on them and save them from His judgement. The imagery in his words reminds us of the apocalyptic imagery in the Book of Revelation. In the bottom of the pane is the bell of a trumpet symbolizing his call for repentance. “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sound the alarm on my holy mountain.” (Joel 2:1) He holds a scroll symbolizing his prophesy.
We read passages from the Book of Joel at Mass on Ash Wednesday and during Lent. The green leaves represent the plants destroyed by the insects, and restored by God’s promised mercy, just as God’s mercy restores us from the destruction of sin in our lives. The plant theme is carried into the next three windows.
Joel also speaks of God pouring out his Spirit: “…I will pour out my spirit upon all mankind. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions. Even upon the servants and the handmaids in those days, I will pour out my spirit. I will work wonders in the heavens and on the earth…The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood at the coming of the day of the Lord…” (Joel 3:1-4) After the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the Apostles at Pentecost, Peter used these words as he addressed the crowd. (Acts 2:16-21) In the window we see the sun darkened with its glow around it like an eclipse, and a red moon.
Below Joel is a window depicting the four major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. Their names can be read on the scroll. They called kings and people to repentance and their prophesies point to Jesus, the Messiah. The green leaves here might also represent the presence of God and His life-giving words which they spoke. Hands are very expressive in all of the windows and the outstretched hand suggests the urgency of their messages and perhaps the resistance with which people received them. The prophet with his hand on his head might suggest the trouble and persecution that they endured because of their words.
Abraham is pictured in the next pane. God formed a people when he called Abraham to leave his home and move to the land God would give him. Here we see God’s covenant with Abraham, promising to make his descendants as numerous as the stars. In the background are Abraham’s tents for he lived as a nomad after leaving his homeland.
The plants again may symbolize the life that comes from God’s presence and action in our lives. Hands in this pane are also very expressive. God’s pointing hand is authoritative. It could symbolize his command to “go” and also symbolize his covenant and promise, for he seems to be pointing to the stars. Abraham’s hand is raised as if to ward off some of God’s powerful command. Abraham was an old man when God made this promise and his hand could symbolize his wondering of how this promise could ever be fulfilled. From the descendants of Abraham came Jesus. Abraham is considered our “father in faith”.
The next pane is the transition from the Old to the New Testaments. It depicts Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary, and grandparents of Jesus. Anne is dressed in green, a symbol of hope and Joseph’s robe is purple, a symbol of royalty in the Old Testament. Here it may symbolize the divine royalty of Jesus, and the fact that their daughter would one day be crowned Queen of Heaven to reign with her Son for all eternity. Their clasped hands suggest their love for each other and the love in which they will raise their daughter. The plant theme is continued in this window, now with red flowers, a symbol associated with St. Anne and the child that she carries.
In the inner corner of each of these panes is the color red. It radiates from the Holy Spirit, surrounded by red flames, in the center of the window, and reminds us of the Spirit’s presence in each of the events pictured. The names of two of the minor prophets can be read on this side of the window. Between the major prophets and Abraham is Aggeus, the Greco-Latin form of the Hebrew name Haggai. The next circle down has the name Sophonias, or Zephaniah.
As we hear the readings from the Old Testament and the words of the prophets at Mass, may we ask God to show us how the words from long ago relate to us here today.