POOR IN SPIRIT

This window is centered on the Blessed Virgin Mary and her son Jesus, Who in the spirit of poverty, place all their trust in the tender care of God the father.

In this window Mary is depicted as a poor mother in an attitude of prayerful trust in God the Father for all her needs an those of her child Jesus. Jesus is asleep trusting in God his Father and in his mother to care for him as a baby. This filial love and trust in God the Father is a hallmark of the Christian life.

Just above the central image is a small triangle that symbolizes God ht e Father, who is close to the poor in spirit and showers on them his grace and gifts as depicted in cascading fire like ribbon over the virgin and child. The twenty small light blue circles (beads) that surround the central image represent the twenty mysteries of the rosary, which is a contemplative prayer on the life of Jesus and Mary while on earth and now in their glory in heaven. The two large circles just below and on either side of the central image contain the five pointed star of the old testament and the eight pointed star of the new testament, which together form the sacred scriptures and which speak of and point to the Word of God - Jesus.

In the lower right of the window is a circle containing the Immaculate- Heart of Mary that is pierced with a sword. This image expresses the burning agape love that Mary had for Jesus and all his apostles and disciples during her lifetime and continues to pour forth now in heaven as the Mother of God and Mother of the Church. In the lower left of the window is an oval that contains an image of John Paul II, who had a deep devotion to Mary as his spiritual mother and consecrated his pontificate to her. After years of waning devotion to our lady, He helped bring back to faithful true devotion to Mary in the spirit of St. Louis DeMonfort.