Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
In Michelangelo’s very famous fresco painting The Creation of Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, we see God’s finger extended and pointing or reaching toward Adam’s barely extended finger -- nearly, but not quite, touching. Today’s gospel passage (Luke 11:15-26) also references God’s finger in Jesus’ response to accusations that he is driving out demons not by the power of God but by the prince of demons. “If it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” So what is this about the finger of God?
The same passage in Matthew’s gospel refers to the Spirit of God where Luke uses “finger of God.” Both convey the message of God’s power, yet the finger of God (at least for me) provides a relatable image of God possessing a body similar to ours (Genesis tells us we are made in God’s image and likeness), as we see in Jesus -- beings capable of touching, creating, and destroying. Of course we understand that God (and thus, Jesus) by God’s very nature is only capable of good; whereas, we are capable of choosing to work against that good.
As today’s gospel also reminds us in the words of Jesus, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” This causes me to pause. Is the metaphorical “work of our hands” for or against the Kingdom of God? Are we gathering our communities together or causing further “scattering” with our undiscerning finger-pointing accusations?
In keeping with our parish’s new theme for discipleship, let us pray to be God’s hands and fingers, allowing the flow of the Spirit’s much-needed work of healing, renewing and restoring in our hurting relationships and communities this week, this month, this year.
~Eileen Miller