Lumen Christi

CHRIST THE KING On this morning, the Feast of Christ the King, I took up the Opus Magnus of Dom Laurence of Roscrea. It was a magnificent gift to Nunraw from Roscrea, the Mother House. “Lumen Christi, The Stained Glass Windows of Mount Saint Joseph Abbey” is a splendid collection of the photographic reproductions of the stained glass windows of the monastery- in a weighty volume of 237 pages, each with quality pictures, even in the case of the pencil and blue wash sketch for ‘Christ the King’. As Dom Laurence studied and contemplated these works for over the 50 years of his time at the abbey, gives others access to the experience of these sacred views. This morning I wondered where to begin to enjoy profuse richness of this visual feast. The Contents has the excellent pathway laid out by the “1953 of the Church and Guide to the Windows”. For my immediate interest of today, ‘Christ the King’, I found low in the Contents something called “Might Have Been”. ‘Christ of King’ is one of the “Might Have Been” holy ambitions in the north transept of the Church. At this point, it may seem rather low profile beside the profusion of completed windows, it served very well, on the Feast of Christ the King, to set out for the wonders that follow the many days of later interest and contemplation.