IV. Jesus Meets His Mother

Even without embracing, Mary and Jesus reveal the depth of their bond. In all the windows before this, Jesus has been pictured lower: here Mary has humbled herself. Jesus and Mary’s hands show a sign of peace to each other in this moment of sorrow and joy. Sorrow at sin, joy at doing God’s will. Despite all the pain they feel, they conform their wills to the Father’s Divine Will. In the lower left corner, a hammer and pliers stand. Are they for the executioner? No; they are a remembrance of St. Joseph, the carpenter, who awaits Our Lord’s triumph that he might enter into Paradise.