From today's Gospel reading we see that the opposition which Jesus encountered went much further than his frequent discussions with the Pharisees. Some people refused to see God's grace at work in Jesus' healing miracle. Ironically, they demanded a sign from heaven but they were unwilling or unable to see Jesus' healing miracle as a true sign from heaven. It was indeed an act of mercy towards an afflicted person. So hard were their hearts that they even insulted Jesus, accusing him, illogically, of doing the work of the devil. The opposition continued as Jesus was scourged and then as he was dying on the cross.

Responding to the calumnies uttered against him. Jesus used a striking and challenging phrase, he speaks about "the finger of God": "But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out devils, then the kingdom of God is upon you."

Each time we pray the Lord's Prayer we ask that God's kingdom will come. We have learned that God's kingdom will come whether or not we ask, and therefore, we are actually asking for God's kingdom to come into our lives, that his finger may touch us with healing and forgiving grace making us true children of the kingdom.