Window 21

The three window group on the north side at the back of the nave illustrates Gospels which fall into a time of the year whose name has gone out of use.  It is called the season of St. Michael and All the Angels and spans the Sundays of October. The archangel St. Michael is referred to at several places in the Bible, especially Revelation 12:7.  He is the warrior angel who fought victoriously against the enemies of God’s people.  Most appropriately, the Festival of the Reformation falls into this time of the year.  The Reformation celebrates God’s restoration of the truth of the Gospel: salvation alone by grace through faith in the crucified Jesus Christ.

The theme of warfare during this season of the year is most graphically proclaimed at the base of the three windows.  The six shields identify the weapons for Christian warfare as listed by St. Paul in Ephesians 6.  From right to left they are the belt of truth, the harness of righteousness, the sandals of peace, the shield of faith in the cross of Christ, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Window 21

On the north side at the back, the middle window in the group of three illuminates the Gospel from Matthew 20:23-35.  A bird with olive branch flies overhead.  In the center, a master is calling his servant into account.  In the open window above the servant’s head, two small figures are visible, the one choking the other.  The shields at the bottom have been explained.

This is the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, the most austere of all Jesus’ parables.  It was told in response to Peter’s question: “How many times should I forgive someone who sins against me?  Up to seven times?”  The Lord’s answer to Peter literally means that he should not keep a count on his forgiving.

In this well known parable, a servant owed his master an incalculably large debt.  On the servant’s promise that he would repay it all, the Lord forgave him the entire debt.  Leaving the house. this servant came upon a fellow servant who owed him the equivalent of ten to twenty dollars and demanded immediate repayment.  The man begged for patience.  He would repay the debt.  But his companion seized him by the throat and had him thrown into prison.  When news of this came to the master, he in anger summoned the unmerciful servant, reminded him of the debt which had been cancelled, and handed him over to the jailers until the debt was paid.  The parable is a lesson on the fifth petition of the Lord’s Prayer.  If God forgives the enormous debt owed him and paid at the price of his Son’s death, then his children, out of gratitude, ought to forgive one another.  The bird with olive branch pictures this truth.  Forgiveness of one another is the path to peace.