Our final angel is the one that we see in the centre light of the window in the chancel of St Mary’s.  The window is by the Earley Studio Dublin, and was the gift of James and Julia Hegarty from Co. Cork in 1945.

Mary is depicted inviting us to come to her Immaculate Heart, a popular devotion at that period.  The beautiful and colourful angel placed at her feet is a reference to the dedication of this chapel to Our Lady of the Angels, mentioned last week.

Archangel Gabriel is the angel particularly associated with this time in Advent.  Gabriel is the angel of annunciation, sent by God to Zechariah in the Temple and six months later to Mary in Nazareth.  In the icon of the Mother of Perpetual Help, Gabriel is represented as showing to the child Jesus the cross that will await him. 

Here in the detailed beauty of this image in stained glass we may contemplate something of the wonderful plan of God, whose mighty angels serve the mystery of the Incarnation, by which all creation will finally be restored in beauty.

Pour forth, we beseech you O Lord, your grace into our hearts

that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an angel,

may by his passion and cross be brought to the glory of his resurrection,

through Christ our Lord.