The Chippewa Cross

Apparition - (ap-pa-ri-tion) n. - 1. a ghostly figure; a specter. 2. a sudden or unusual sight. 3. the act of appearing; appearance.

The above photo is being called an apparition by some. Yet by others it is being called a naturally occurring phenomenon, caused by a combination of light and an imperfection in the glass. Still others are calling it a miracle of the Lord. This is not the first instance of a cross appearing in a glass door or window. There are documented accounts of similar apparitions in Coachella, CA (2002), and Thermal, CA (2005).

I took this photo this afternoon, at the home of Manuel and Maria Mireles, of Sylmar, CA. In fact, if you look closely, you will see my reflection in the window. Hearing from a friend in church (who lives on the Mireles's street) that large crowds gathered around the window to see the cross, I thought it could be a rare and wonderful opportunity to share the Law and the gospel with people who were mesmerized by, even worshiping, an apparition. My mission today was simply to do a little recon, with the hope of bringing a team of evangelists to the street during the weekend.

When I walked onto the driveway of the modest Chippewa Street home, I was greeted by a man named Areal. Areal was atop a ladder, doing some repair work on the house's rain gutters. I asked Areal if he was the homeowner. He shyly said that he was not. He said he was a friend of the family.

I told Areal that I had heard about the cross in the window, and out of a sense of curiosity I came to see for myself. He smiled, telling me that many people come every day to see the cross. Areal came down from the ladder and excused himself, saying he was going to get the homeowner.

A few moments later, Areal came back out of the house with Maria Mireles behind him. Maria was soon joined by her husband, Manuel. I explained to the couple that I was with a Christian radio station called Way of the Master. I asked them if I could conduct a taped interview with them regarding the cross in their window. They declined to be interviewed on tape. Maria said that they were trying to be very careful not to draw too much media attention. It appeared that the Mireles's were following the counsel of the local archdiocese, of the Roman Catholic Church.

Although they did not wish to be interviewed on tape, they were friendly and eager to share with me the story of what they called "the luminous cross." According to Mr. and Mrs. Mireles, the cross first appeared on Palm Sunday, of this year. They have lived in the house for twenty-eight years, but have never seen anything like the cross in the window.

Mrs. Mireles invited me into her home. She escorted me to the bathroom where the window was located. Inside the bathroom was a small floodlight. It seemed out of place in the small bathroom. Mrs. Mireles told me that at night the cross can be seen not only in the window, but outside the window, in the driveway, whether or not the light in the bathroom is on.

I gently asked Mrs. Mireles what she thought was the source of the light. She believes it is a miracle from God. She told me stories of people who claimed to be healed emotionally and physically after seeing the cross. She told me the story of an architect who came to the house to drop off blueprints. After seeing the cross, he suddenly became aware of his sinfulness and his need to change his life. The architect also said that his wife was now willing to go to church for the first time.

Mrs. Mireles also showed me the display/altar on the dining room table. Atop the table was a statue of Mary, about 3' in height. Also on the table was a cardboard display containing a series of photos. Some of the photos were of the cross in her bathroom window. Yet others were of the appearance of a cross, in the glass door, of a Coachella home. The fact that other such apparitions have appeared in other homes only bolster Mrs. Mireles' belief that the cross in her window is a miracle from God.

According to Mrs. Mireles, as well as others I talked to who live on the street, large crowds of people gather every night, at 7:00 pm, to pray the rosary in front of the window.

I thanked Mr. and Mrs. Mireles for talking to me and for inviting me, a stranger, into their home. They seem like a very sincere, unassuming, gentle couple. As I walked out of the house, a crowd began to form. Several families stood in the circular driveway captivated by the cross in the window. I saw cars stopped in front of the house, with the gaze of the occupants transfixed on the cross in the window. I watched as an investigator gathering information--making mental notes while remaining emotionally detached. But then something happened that broke my heart.

I watched as a family of three slowly walked down the sidewalk, toward the house. I believe they were walking slowly for two reasons. The youngest member of the family, a little girl, couldn't have been more than five years old. The other reason was that the mother of the family was, I assumed very ill. She was bald and her features were gaunt. She very much had the appearance of someone in the midst of a cycle of chemotherapy.

More than the sickly appearance of the mother, it was the demeanor of the little girl as the family walked away from the cross in the window that broke my heart. She was weeping very bitter tears. She didn't want to leave the cross. Her parents had to literally pull her away from the window and physically escort her down the street. There seemed to be no consoling this little girl.

Seeing the distraught little girl, and watching all the people shuffle up to the window and gaze at it, snapped me back from taking in the sights and sounds to focusing on the mission--not that of an investigator, but that of an evangelist.

So, what is the image in the window? Is it a miracle from God? Is it something that is occurring naturally, due to the combination of the glass in the window and the lighting in the bathroom? Or is it something else? Could it be something sinister--evil? Could it be this?

"No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14). While I do not believe it is a miraculous sign from God, I also do not want to look for Satan under every rock. So, I cannot say with certainty what is the origin of the light, in the window. What I do know is that hundreds of spiritually-minded, religious, and likely lost people are making short pilgrimages to see the cross on Chippewa Street. What better place to proclaim the truth! What better place to bring the Law to the proud and grace to the humble!

I will gather a team of evangelists to make not a pilgrimage, but a missionary trip, to Chippewa Street, on Saturday night. Our tactic will not be to attack the validity of the apparition. Rather, we will use the apparition as a springboard into conversations with people who are already thinking spiritually. I hope to capture many of the conversations on tape and video.

So, please pray for us. Pray that we will be bold, yet gentle witnesses, on behalf of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Pray that the Lord will use us to lovingly present the Law and the Gospel to lost and dying souls. Pray that the Lord will choose to glorify Himself, by drawing people to genuine repentance and faith in Christ.

I hope to post a report following our mission trip to Chippewa Street.