A New Window

Devotional for Saturday, June 13, 1998 by Mary Daniel

To pass through the doors of the old, old church is to enter a place of unprecedented peace. The three stained glass windows which face you from the front (the middle of which is Christ, lantern in hand), beckon your presence to this place of peace where warmth and safety surround you. The inscription accompanying Christ in the center window is that of Revelation 3:20, "Behold I stand at the door and knock". St. Paul is on His right, the Virgin Mary to His left.

St. Mark, St. Matthew and St. Luke grace windows on either side of the church. All have been dedicated in someone's memory. The colours are brilliant, the message seems clear: "we are with you." There are many other symbols present, all representing someone, or something. Such warmth and beauty stills one's soul and sets the mood for our reason to be there, a noon-hour "retreat" to contemplative prayer. For half an hour we are present within ourselves and with our God, and it is good.

Recently, a new window was inserted in someone's memory, offering a new brilliance to embrace us.

One might argue that these are mere "things", that our focus is to be with God, that we shouldn't need colourful windows inside a church to remind us of His presence, His goodness. While these are symbolic reminders of what was, what is, and what is to be, God gives us many "windows", many opportunities each day. It is up to us to "open" them and "be open to them" that we may indeed see what he has given us, and what we can give to others.

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for the sanctity of the church, for our places of peace, and for your presence in our prayers, our waking as well as our sleeping. We thank you for the "windows" in our lives. May we open them fully, to view all you have to offer us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Mary Daniel <marydee@shaw.ca>
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada

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