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Nativity Window & Ambry

The windows depicting the Nativity of the Lord and the visit of the shepherds call to mind the parish's spiritual roots in the City of Poughkeepsie in the German national parish, Nativity.  
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In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.  
 
This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  
 
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.  
 
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  
 
While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son.  She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.  (Luke 1:1-7)

Between the windows is the Ambry, which contains the oils used in various sacramental celebrations.  These oils are the sacred chrism, the oil of the catechumens and the oil of the sick.  

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Is anyone among you sick?  He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  (James 5:14)

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As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains in you, so that you do not need anyone to teach you  But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false; just as it taught you, remain in him.  (1 John 2:27)

When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.
 
So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.  
 
When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.  All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.  
And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.
 
Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. 
 
(Luke 1:15-20)

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