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Window of the Month
Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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Window

Building Name: St. Mary's of Redford Church

Artist Name: Walter G. Ball

City: Redford

Window Shape: 3 (arched)

Subject/Title of Window: Eleazar/Sacrifice of Abraham/Jeremiah

Brief Description of Subject: One of a series of four windows in the sanctuary, each consisting of three medallions, tracing the roots of the Mass to the Old Testament.

The Catholic Mass consists of two parts:

A) The liturgy of the Word --- which consists of readings (words of God) from the Scriptures. The bottom medallion will illustrate this with an Old Testament prophet --- one chosen to speak for God.

B) The Liturgy of the Eucharist --- bread and wine is changed into the body and blood of Jesus and offered to God for the forgiveness of sins. This is made clear in the Eucharistic prayer, referring to the "Holy Bread of eternal life and the Chalice of everlasting salvation", the priest prays "Be pleased to look upon them, as you were pleased to accept the gifts of your servant Abel, the just, THE SACRIFICE OF ABRAHAM, our father in faith, and the offering of your high priest Melchizedek." The middle medallion will illustrate this with sacrifices from the Old Testament.

The Catholic Mass is performed by a priest as were religious ceremonies in the Old Testament. The top medallion will depict an Old Testament priest.

The bottom medallion of this window depicts Jeremiah. His name is inscribed on the banner that he is holding. He is enclosed in a 12 sided figure which symbolizes the 12 tribes of Israel.

The middle medallion pictures the "Sacrifice of Abraham" which is covered in Gen.22:1-19. God tested Abraham by telling him that he was to sacrifice his son Isaac but as Abraham was about to kill his only son an angel stopped him and told him that he was to sacrifice a ram in his place. The name "Abraham" is inscribed on a banner held by the hand of God.

The top medallion is inscribed with the name "Eleazor" (sic). Eleazar was the high priest that succeeded Aaron and is depicted with a censer. One of the duties of the high priest was to take a censer and fill it with coals from the fire used for burnt offerings and take it to the sanctuary and throw incense on it. Incense is used in the High Mass of the Catholic Church.

Inscriptions: In Memory of Lawrence Fitzpatrick


Height: 10'

Width: 3'

Eleazar/Sacrifice of Abraham/Jeremiah
Eleazar/Sacrifice of Abraham/Jeremiah
Eleazar
Eleazar
Sacrifice of Abraham
Sacrifice of Abraham
Jeremiah
Jeremiah

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