Voices ever ancient, ever new. Lent, Week 3: Thursday

“But if it is by the finger of God that [I] drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Luke 11:20)

Saint Cyril of Alexandria reflects on this verse from today’s Gospel, writes:

“By the finger of God, he means the Holy Spirit. The Son is called the hand and arm of God the Father because he does all things by the Son, and the Son in a similar way works by the Spirit. Just as the finger is attached to the hand as something not foreign from it but belonging to it by nature, so also the Holy Spirit, by reason of his being equal in substance, is joined in oneness to the Son, although he proceeds from God the Father. The Son does every thing by the consubstantial Spirit. Here he purposely says that by the finger of God he casts out devils, speaking as a man. The Jews in the infirmity and folly of their mind would not have endured it if he said, “by my own Spirit I cast out devils.” (Commentary on Luke, Homily 81)




We implore your majesty most humbly, O Lord,
that, as the feast of our salvation draws ever closer,
so we may press forward all the more eagerly
towards the worthy celebration of the Paschal Mystery.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.





Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!