Distinctive elements in churches are windows. They might be large and clear, overseeing picturesque scenic vistas or colored class or filled with images that speak to faith. We know from our homes that windows are important. No one likes to look at windows when they are dirty and broken. While we often take them for granted, such is not the case with the Church. In the days before the printing press, the Church put the Catechism in its stained-glass windows. This was so that people who could not read would be inspired by the pictures they saw. Often church windows will depict the saints or important stories from the Bible. Pictured are men and women, poor and kings, apostles, and other spiritual kinfolk who are a part of our family of faith. When you visit churches, do you ever look to see if your patron or favorite devotional saint is depicted? We are reminded that we explicitly invoke the saints in the Mass, particularly the Roman Canon. A number of churches have the custom of lighting a candle on a stand that is adjacent to the saint-of-the-day. The whole Church worships at Mass, including the saints who have gone before us, marked with the sign of faith. We strive to become what they are, holy saints in the family of God. Angels are often depicted who as in the Sanctus give glory to God. Some churches have windows which depict the important stages in salvation history, from creation to the final consummation in Christ. Through the art and windows of the churches, we fulfill the command that “all creation rightly gives you [God] praise.” Windows can enhance and picture the worshipping Church.
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