Blessed Sacrament Parish, La Crosse at 130 S. Losey Blvd., La Crosse, WI 54601 US - Our Church Windows - Chapter 1

By Father Robert Hundt The Catholic Church is a sacramental church. Reading that, we might be tempted to think of the seven sacraments and stop there. It is true we have seven sacraments, but the concept is richer than those seven. The notion of “sacrament” is that it is something which reveals a reality beyond itself. The church building, both outside and inside, should draw our mind immediately to realities beyond just that building. The building itself speaks of higher things. A tower with a cross, stained glass windows, crosses cut into the stone, these things and many others tell us immediately that this is a house of prayer, a place of worship, a building set apart for God and His people at prayer. The inside of the church building is also sacramental. A stained glass window is not just a window. Its images and words are there to teach us of higher things. The windows may reveal the truths and events of the faith history of the People of God or raise our thoughts to higher things with the image of a saint. Blessed Sacrament church has lovely stained glass windows. They are also intricate and rich depictions of the history of salvation from the Garden of Eden in Genesis to the eternal Garden of Eden–heaven.. Over the next months you might be interested in watching this place as gradually the windows and rich-in-meaning symbols and furnishings of Blessed Sacrament church are explained. Let us begin with an explanation of the window which is immediately to your left as you enter the nave of the church. Notice first of all that the window elicits an act of faith in the Trinity. Read all the text in the window. I believe…in Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Interesting that this profession of faith should be located at the entrance of the church. It is that profession of faith that we make when we use holy water and make the sign of the cross as we enter the church. Faith in the Three Divine Persons is a necessary requirement that the sacraments and the liturgy of the Eucharist might be fruitful experiences. It is also in these Three Divine Names that we were baptized and so entered into the community of faith. The first panel in its upper part is the story of creation. God’s creating hand brings forth the sun and moon, the animals and plants. But by far the dominant images are those of man and woman, for they stand at the very top of visible creation. Adam and Eve look very serious because they are contemplating a very heavy decision. To this point happiness and peace reign. The lion and the ox lie contentedly at the feet of their masters. But all is soon to be disrupted in God’s plan. Eve is reaching for the apple. With her left hand she is saying to Adam, “this can’t be so bad, we’ll be like gods if we eat from the Tree of Good and Evil.” The tempter is coiled about the Tree urging Eve to follow her feelings and desires rather than the clear command of God. The wavy motion at the foot of the man and woman remind us that Eden was a well-watered garden rich in God’s gift of life. In the center panel of the window we have Christ, the judge. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. The Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, are seen in the book of life which the enthroned and victorious Christ is holding. Here he is pictured as judge. Those on Christ’s right are smiling and looking eagerly toward him. Those have been called into eternal life with him. On the left of Christ are those condemned to hell. Some look away from Christ, fear and sadness are on the faces of all. An Angel offers the crown and palm of victory to those on Christ’s right, on his left the devil hurls thunder bolts at the damned. In the panel below we find the crucified Christ. The figure to the right is also Christ who is going to the abode of the dead to announce that heaven is now opened. The other figure is Christ the risen and victorious Savior. Under the crucifixion scene, Christ lies in the Tomb awaiting the resurrection. The third panel depicts the work of the Holy Spirit. The dove is a Symbol of the Holy Spirit. In the center is the crowned bride of Christ, the Church. She offers the Word of God, the Holy Bible (Biblia Sacra) and the Holy Eucharist to the world. The Holy Spirit’s action in the Church is also present in the lives of holy people, the saints on the crowned figure’s right. The Holy Spirit’s action is present in the forgiveness of sins as depicted on the left of Mother Church. In the bottom panel, angels pour the cooling water of grace, forgiveness and the prayers of the faithful to the holy souls in purgatory. Thus, this is a picture of the Church Triumphant (the saints), the Church Militant (people on earth), and the Church Suffering (the souls in purgatory). The three individual windows thus illustrate the work credited to the Father (creation), the Son (redemption), and the Holy Spirit (the Church, the sacraments, and sanctification). The Bible ends this scene with words addressed to the Tempter: “I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers. He will strike at your head, while you strike at her heel.” This is the first announcement of salvation. How it will be accomplished is presented in the bottom panel of the window and the remaining two windows of this set. The time came when an angel announced to the Virgin (the lily speaks of virginity) that she will be the mother of a Son and he will be called Jesus. Mary is the new Eve. She said “Yes” to God whereas the first Eve said “No.” Her Son is the new Adam who, on the Tree of the Cross (next window) said “Yes” to God whereas the first Adam at the Tree of Temptation said “No.” The Tempter was present in the lives of the new Adam and new Eve but their obedience to God’s word and will crushed his head. Sin and death were defeated, once and for all, in the new Adam’s death and resurrection. The rest of history is only a mopping up exercise. “Oh happy fault that won for us so great a Redeemer.” (Easter Exultet)

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