Of the three windows on this side of the church now, the Crucifixion has the most striking colors proceding on past the Resurrection to the quiet and peaceful colors of the Ascension. The day Jesus died was a day which was dark. In all of the misery and dark of that day, the bright part was Jesus proclaiming peace and forgiveness to all sinners and to the thief shown in the window to Jesus’ right. This bright part is shown in the halo. The other thief is still in the dark and is separated from Jesus at some distance on his left. From the left to the right in the window: a group of three Jewish leaders talking among themselves about Jesus; the man reaching up to Jesus with the sponge full of gall; the man with his arms outstretched shouting, “You saved others, save yourself”; various onlookers; a mother with her pointing child…(Jesus came for children too and the Jews did shout, “His blood be on us and on our children”); the thief to whom Jesus is speaking is on his cross; and in the upper right Judas is standing with his money bag. Jesus’ garment is at the foot of the cross. There are two jars there…one with the gall and perhaps one with water. The dark glass around the feet of the people and at the foot of the cross has vivid red blotches in it symbolizing blood. The sky gets progressively lighter and brighter toward the top symbolizing what Jesus is saying to the thief, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Up is where our eyes want to go…toward heaven.”
W: CRUCIFIXION
CRUCIFIXION WINDOW