THE FINGER OF GOD

 

THE FINGER OF GOD

Any child loves a magician. I did. I still do. I remember being mesmerized by the magician’s hands. The eyes. The fingers twirling and twitching. And voila! A wonder happens.

The Lord did a wonder, described tersely by Luke. He “cast out a demon that was mute.” But then, having “come out, the mute person spoke.” Like me, “the crowd was astonished.” That’s the first reaction. The second reaction was a rash judgment. “He casts out demons by Beelzebul.” The third reaction went further. They “put Him to the test by asking of Him a sign out of heaven.”

Don’t you think it strange that people, who just saw a miracle, were asking for a wonder to prove the wonder? It was obvious that a further wonder was not what they were looking for. It was clear they never wanted to acknowledge Him for who and what He possibly could be. A wonder so clear yet rejected is tantamount to rejecting the wonder-worker. If I reject the whole, then all its parts merit equal rejection. If I reject the hand, then I say no to the fingers too, even if both hands and fingers joined in working a wonder.

In the book of Exodus, Aaron outdid the magicians of Pharaoh. The pagan Egyptians saw and acknowledged albeit grudgingly: “This is the finger of God.” They saw and believed. And they acknowledged that it was God who was working wonders through Moses.

I still am in awe at the sight of magicians. I have to acknowledge at least one thing—that my eyes are simply not as fast as their fingers. But at my age, I know that more than just magic and sleight of hand tricks merit to be acknowledged and proclaimed. I have, in a very real sense, “been there; done that.” I have suffered on account of my own and others’ ill will. I have seen unalloyed joy in my own and others’ experiences. I am witness to countless wonders done by fellow believers, some of whom did the ultimate wonder—live and even die for their faith.

By the finger of God has all this been done! Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 ---------- REFLECTION QUESTION ----------

What has been God’s work in your life that made you wonder at His greatness?

You are the God of wonder, O Lord! I praise You! Amen.
Today, I pray for: ___________________________