According to my blog’s stat page, I haven’t written squat since Christmas Eve. Is that right?
*receives note*
Okay, my editor says I shouldn’t openly admit how long it’s been since I last wrote, and…
*receives another note*
Okay, I’m also not supposed to mention how my editor sends me notes.
*receives third note*
Oh for cripes sake, I TOLD you the chocolate is on the second shelf, toward the back. Sheesh!
Anyway, sorry for ghosting on you. Been a bit busy and all that. I’ve got a couple blog posts percolating, but nothing quite up to snuff. So instead we’ll be doing a quickie for today.
This came to me via a sister from the convent. She works with college students at a volunteer ministry and they were studying the creation story. One of them brought up the scene from the Sistine chapel. The part where God is reaching out to Adam.
You can picture it in your mind, right? I don’t need to show it to you.
Okay fine, I’ll show it to you:
So the student pointed out something I was aware of, but never really thought about.
Look at how how God — he’s the one on the right — is stretching out with everything he’s got. You can see his muscles at work, he’s straining, doing all he can to reach Adam. The angels look like they’re holding on to God, afraid to let go.
And then there’s Adam. Lounging about, taking it easy, barely managing to hold his hand out.
I mean, he’s not even looking at God.
Did you ever notice that? I didn’t.
I don’t know what Michelangelo had in mind, but I couldn’t help thinking this is like an extremely condensed version of the entire Bible.
God — forget for the moment he’s shown as a white-haired old man (this is art, baby) — God is always reaching out to us.
Come on, people… just a bit farther… you can do it!… I’m right here…
And we’re all, like…
“Hmm? … Oh, yeah… um… I don’t know, God. I’m kind of swamped right now...
Isn’t that interesting? And when you think about the Biblical stories — taken as a whole, I mean — then it seems clear that…
*receives note*
Okay, my editor thinks I’m getting too religious and need to back off. But you all know I work at a convent now, right? It’s gonna be hard not letting it creep in a little.
*yet another note*
What do you mean you can’t find it? You freak out over a misplaced apostrophe, but you can’t see a box of chocolates right in front of your face?! Geez!
I better go. I’ll see you all next week. In the meantime, keep reaching… 😉
Daughter and I went to the art museum last week.
