Healing the Sick Window (6)
Lillian E. Bloomfield gave this window to the Glory of God and in memory of her husband, Dr. James C. Bloomfield (1864-1927), a physician in this Parish for many years. Mrs. Bloomfield also established in his memory the Bloomfield Fund to aid crippled and sick children of Clarke County.
The two panels of this window are a single picture of Christ's healing a man kneeling in front of Him while a blue cloaked man on crutches and a purple cloaked woman holding a child in green await healing. Christ, in a golden halo, wears a grey-green robe and a red cloak lined in royal purple. No flowers bloom in His panel, although a heraldic shield inset appears just above His left shoulder: a white rose of Sharon with golden leaves and stem on a deep pink ground of Christ's passion on the cross. Even such a tiny detail of color can remind us that Christ the Healer has already suffered the greater pain.
This is a substantially blue window. Blue in general means truth and heavenly love, especially the former because the blue sky appears after clouds are dispelled, suggesting the revealing of truth. When garments are blue, the color means divine contemplation, sincerity, and piety. Perhaps some of these attributes can be ascribed to the sick in this window. Blue means truth when worn by Mary and Jesus, and it is, of course, "Mary's color."
Set into the borders of both large panels are stylized roses of Sharon, two in the right panel and three in the left. Two shields are set into the left panel. In the arched section is a golden fleur-de-lis on a red ground. In the upper right border is set a golden alpha-omega monogram on a blue ground.
The arches of both panels contain white Gothic open trefoil arches decorated with gold, on a blue field, edged in red. Facing the center of each arch are two haloed, white-robed angels kneeling. Their red wings denote that they are seraphim, as in South 4.
Scrolls floating above repeat Jesus's answer when He asked two blind men whether they believed He could restore their sight and they had answered Yes: "According to your faith be it unto you" (Matt. 9:29). In this same chapter of Matthew (verses 18-19 and 23-26) Jesus restores to life the daughter of Jairus (also in Luke 8:40-56 and Mark 5:22ff). This story is depicted in the bottom right pane of this window. Her mother stands to the left in a blue cloak. All robes are off-white on a red ground, outlined in white and gold Gothic arches. The small right panel has the Holy Spirit as a Descending Dove, pure white on a life-giving green ground. Its opposite panel contains a Chi-Rho cross, formed from the first two letters of the Greek form of Christ's name, with the white on green symbolism repeated.
The story of the good Samaritan is pictured in an identical setting of tripartite arches. The Levite stands aloof from man the injured by thieves, having refused the opportunity to serve (Luke 10:30-35). With face averted, he stands in marked contrast to the corresponding figure of the girl's mother in the right pane. She turns toward Christ.
To the left is a small panel with the monogram ihs, ecru on green. To the right is a golden sword on a green ground with an open book superimposed. The first upper left letter on the book is alpha, the last letter on the bottom of the right page is omega. An open book symbolizes the Bible, but one with alpha and omega on it symbolizes Christ, the beginning and the end, the Word made flesh. The sword derives from "the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17).
The topmost pane has a blue field with three turrets with finials and pendants of golden fleurs-de-lis. Centered in a red- grounded quatrefoil edged in gold is a golden crown, scalloped on top with fleurs-de-lis. The crown is positioned over an Easter lily, suggesting final healing through the Resurrection. Green fleurs-de-lis are at the intersection of the cusps.