As we turn to the left of the statue of St. Anthony and look down the side aisle, we can see the first of many windows in our church. These windows appear to be stained glass, but--probably due to the cost of real stained glass windows--ours are painted. Why would a church have stained glass or painted windows? In the Middle Ages, when many of the great cathedrals were built, many people could not read, so the windows taught, or reminded, the faithful about important biblical events, saintly people, and other aspects of their faith. Today, too, we and our children benefit from our windows in this way. Also, these windows, with the sunlight shining through their many colors, separate us from the everyday world outside of church and create a special "other world" or "heavenly" atmosphere. This atmosphere lifts up our hearts and helps to turn our thoughts toward spiritual matters.
Let's now discuss the specific windows in our church.
The first of the windows to the left of St. Anthony reminds us of the story of Jesus walking on the water. In Matthew 14:22-23, we read that Jesus had gone up on a mountain to pray after having sent His disciples ahead of Him off across the Sea of Galilee. Later, about three in the morning, in the midst of high winds which were tossing their boat about, Jesus came walking across the water toward them. It might be useful for us to know that the Sea of Galilee--also called the Sea of Chinnereth, the Lake of Gennesaret, and the Sea of Tiberias--is 6.8 miles wide, 13 miles long and 150 feet deep. Thus the disciples were already frightened because of the stormy sea and became even more terrified when they saw Jesus walking on the water. They cried out in fear, "It is a ghost!"Jesus reassured them that He was not a ghost, but Peter said, "Lord, if it is really you, bid me to come to you on the water."
"Come!" Jesus said.
Remember that the Sea of Galilee is very deep, so it took faith for Peter to step out of that boat. Yet Peter actually did step out and walk on the water toward Jesus, but then he became distracted by the windy world around him. Frightened, Peter began to sink and cried, "Lord, save me!" Jesus reached out His hand and caught Peter, saying, "How little faith you have! Why did you falter?"
As we prayerfully consider our windows and recall this account, can we picture ourselves with Peter? Do we also have faith, yet when the storms of the world besiege us, do we falter? Do we begin to wonder if we can get through them? Do we forget that Jesus is with us, ready to reach out and help us through whatever storms we face?
Look once more at our window. It not only depicts Jesus reaching out to save Peter. Shrouded in the gray, early morning sea air, you can see the disciples too. Are their gestures revealing their fear of a ghost? Or are they showing perhaps another emotion? Have they just truly begun to realize that this Jesus of Nazareth whom they have been following is more than just a man, more than a great prophet, more than a miracle worker? When Jesus and Peter had climbed into the boat, Matthew tells us that the disciples reverently declared, "Truly you are the Son of God."
