Window 16

To the left of the north-side window which shows Jesus driving the merchants out of the temple is a highly symbolic treatment of Jesus’ Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:5-14. At window’s center is an incense burner.  Above it is a key together with a hand receiving smoke from the incense burner. Directly under the incense burner is a broken heart.  At the window’s base is an incense burner whose cover is tipped to one side and, on either side, the two tables of the Ten Commandments.

The overturned incense burner represents the prayer of the Pharisee who boasted about keeping God’s commandments even beyond what was required.  His prayer was rejected, its contents good for nothing and poured on the ground.  The incense burner at the center represents the prayer of the tax collector.  With a broken heart he asked God to have mercy on him, a sinner.  The incense of his prayer was received into God’s open hand, and the key which unlocked the door to forgiveness was granted to him.