A mother’s vision

Editor’s note: Elizabeth Laugharne, parishioner and volunteer archivist at St. Mary the Virgin Anglican Church, Victoria, submitted this photo and reflection as part of our continuing feature on stained-glass windows, Capturing the Light. Laugharne is also the author of a 2021 book on St. Mary the Virgin’s 54 stained-glass panels, Messages in Glass. Another submission in this series appears in our April issue.

Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdelene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here, is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour, the disciple took her into his own home.

—John 19:25-27

This window, created by local artist Imke Pearson, has, from the beginning, been my favourite and I am comforted by it. It is difficult to say just why. For me, it recalls the loving relationship I had with my son, the time I spent holding his hand as he died and the vision I experienced after he died. I awoke in the middle of the night seeing his image in my bedroom doorway, speaking softly to me, letting me know he was happy and not to mourn.

During his short lifetime, my son and I had always had a very close and loving relationship. Imke’s creation for me suggests a similar relationship and that God’s promise of a paradise is real.