Window 9 :: The Incarnation

This window is the beginning of God’s ultimate plan for salvation. With the incarnation of Jesus, God had begun his plan for the Salvation for humanity. The tree of Jesse has bloomed, and Christ is Born.

Panel 1 - IHS

The IHS is very common in Christian art. It is an abbreviation of Jesus’ name in Greek, also called a Christogram. Before the coming incarnation, Jesus’s name is declared. This is in reference to the words Gabriel said to Mary, that his name shall be Jesus.

Panel 3 - The Shepherds

This panel shows shepherds’ crooks and a lamb. After Gabriel’s prophecy of the coming Jesus, the first people to know of the Birth of Christ were lowly shepherds outside of Jerusalem. The first people to hear of God’s plan for salvation are the poor and downtrodden.

Panel 4 - Incarnated Jesus

This panel is an image of baby Jesus, swaddled, depicted with a halo around his head. With the Birth of Jesus, God Himself has incarnated into our world, and God’s plan for salvation has begun.

Panel 6, 7, 8 - Star of Bethlehem and the Gifts of the Magi

These panels depict the Star of Bethlehem and below that, the gifts of the Magi are shown. A few years after Jesus’ birth, magi from the east were led to the Christ by the Star of Bethlehem. These wise men presented Him with gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts represent his royalty, his divinity, and his coming death. Even those who were wise and powerful knew that something momentous had occurred.

Panel 10 - Crown of Christ

This panel depicts a royal crown. The King has been born and is now beginning the work of establishing his kingdom on earth.