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Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

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MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: St. John the Baptist Catholic Church

City: Ypsilanti

Window Shape: 3 (arched)

Date of Window: 1933

Subject/Title of Window: Good Shepherd/Parable of the Prodigal Son/Little Children And Jesus/Triumphant Entry Into Jerusalem

Brief Description of Subject: Each of the 10 aisle windows contain four roundels that picture events in the life of Christ, for a total of 40 scenes. These scenes are arranged, somewhat, in a chronological order starting with the Annunciation (nearest the sanctuary on the epistle side) and ending with Christ the King (nearest the sanctuary on the gospel side).

The roundels in this window from top to bottom:
Good Shepherd (John 10:1 - 21). Jesus proclaims "I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for my sheep," (Verses 14 - 15 CPDV). By this passage, Jesus is proclaiming that he is the Lord --- Psalm 23 "The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want." The artist of this window has placed a sheep on the shoulders of of Jesus. This comes from Christ's telling of the parable of the lost sheep --- the shepherd leaves his flock to search for a missing sheep, "and when he finds it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing," (Luke 15:5 CPDV).
Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11 - 32). This parable might easily be called "A Man and His Two Sons." Jesus had drawn a crowd of sinners to hear him. Seeing this, the Pharisees wondered why would he welcome such people? In response, Jesus spoke this parable: A man had two sons, the younger wanted his inheritance now, so the father divided his property between them. The younger son promptly left for a far away country. He led a boisterous life, squandering all his money, and when a famine hit, he had no money. In dire straights he realized his father's servants had a better life than what he now faced, so he returned to his father with the intention of becoming his servant, as he no longer felt worthy to be his son. But when the father saw him, he told the servants to bring him food and clothing and prepare a celebration feast. The older son, that had remained faithful to his father, was appalled at his father's actions. But his father told him, "Son you are with me always, and all that I have is yours. But it was necessary to feast and rejoice. For this brother of yours was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found," (Verses 31 and 32 CPDV).
Little Children and Jesus (Matthew 19: 13 - 15). "Then they brought to him little children, so that he would place his hands upon them and pray. But the disciples rebuked them. Yet truly, Jesus said to them: 'Allow the little children to come to me, and do not choose to prohibit them. For the kingdom of heaven is among such as these.' " (CPDV)
Triumphant Entry Into Jerusalem (John 12:12 - 14). "Then, on the next day, the great crowd that had come to the feast day [Passover], when they had heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and they went ahead to meet him. And they were crying out: 'Hosanna! Blessed is he who arrives in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel!' And Jesus found a small donkey, and he sat upon it, just as it is written: 'Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your king arrives, sitting on a colt of a donkey.' " (CPDV)

Inscriptions: In Memory of John Polzin Family


Condition of Window: Good

Height: 12'

Width: 46"

Type of Glass and Technique: Antique or Cathedral Glass, Lead Came, Vitreous Paint

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