Thursday of the Third Week of Lent
(Jeremiah 7:23-28; Luke 11:14-23)
In today’s gospel, the expression “finger of God” is likely
the same earthy metaphor that Jesus used when preaching in his own Aramaic
tongue. In the Matthean parallel of this
passage Jesus says that he casts out demons “by the Spirit of God.” It may be worthwhile to meditate on our use
of finger and Jesus’ use.
Beyond the vulgar expression “giving another a finger,” pointing
one’s finger in the air often is a way of boasting one’s supremacy. Around championship time or even in
midseason, students whose college team (football, basketball, whatever) will
raise their finger and proclaim, “We’re number one!” Sacred artists have painted God’s finger with
an entirely different motivation. In the
center of the ceiling of the Sistine chapel Michelangelo painted God creating
Adam by pointing His finger. In what is
said to be a take-off on Michelangelo’s creation scene, Caravaggio painted
Jesus’ call of his disciple Matthew with a pointed finger. The lesson is obvious. Humans are apt to use the finger to promote oneself
or one’s group where God would use His finger to create or promote another.
Hopefully, during this holy season we are becoming more
God-like. That is, we are using not just
our fingers but our whole bodies to assist others to know God's love.
