It's interesting how we can become used to the old and soiled. I suspect there is a parable somewhere in that.

If we visit the Sistine chapel today, we'll see a ceiling of vivid scripture as Michelangelo painted it. With hundreds of other visitors, we'll walk with heads upturned in awe.

There is one place where everyone stops. It's under the picture of The Creation of Adam.

God is leaning towards Adam who appears to have fallen backwards, his arm extended as though he's trying to return to God. His finger is almost touching God's, but we get the feeling this won't happen. We notice that both Adam and God are strongly muscled, a reminder that Michelangelo was first and foremost a sculptor.

We stand still, gazing at the painting. There is much in the detail that is alive with expression. It claims our eyes and our hearts.

Why does this particular picture hold our attention? What did Michelangelo intend us to see?

Over the centuries there have been many theories about The Creation of Adam, people interpreting body language and background as they saw it. The cloak-like shape behind God, for example: does it represent an unfolding universe? Is it formed like a uterus to suggest the birthing of creation? Or does that shape resemble a brain and wisdom? All of these have been historical interpretations.

For some of us, though, the potent image is the gap between God's finger and Adam's finger. God is leaning forward as a father reaches for his child, but Adam is helpless and falling away.

We can see much pathos in that gap between the fingers. It is a space of loss and yearning, and we feel it deeply. It belongs to us, and no effort on our part is going to close it.

What then, fills the gap?

I believe Michelangelo tells us in another part of the painting. The answer is beneath God's left arm and hand. There is a young woman there, secure in the crook of God's elbow. Tradition says this is Eve waiting to evolve from Adam's side, but if we look closely, we see the woman has the same face as that of Michelangelo's sculpture of The Pieta. The woman is Mary.

Further along, God's left hand rests on a baby. Both the woman and the baby are in subdued colour, suggesting they have not yet come into incarnation.

The artist is telling us who closes the gap between us and our Creator.

It is the Beloved. It is Christ Jesus.

• Joy Cowley is a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and retreat facilitator.

Asked if they believe the pope is infallible when he teaches on matters of morality or faith, only 40 per cent of the total sample (and 45 per cent of those who said they attend Mass weekly) said yes.

A total of 79 per cent (62 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) favoured the use of artificial methods of birth control.

And 78 per cent (66 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) said they are more likely to follow their own conscience than papal teachings on difficult moral questions.

The poll found 69 per cent (61 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) believe the next pope should allow priests to marry; and a similar proportion (57 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) believe he should allow women to become priests.

Legalised abortion was opposed by 56 per cent (70 per cent of weekly Mass attenders); and a similar proportion (67 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) opposed the death penalty.

A majority of 53 per cent (44 per cent of weekly Mass attenders) said they believe the Catholic Church is out of touch with the needs of Catholics.

The New York Times/CBS News poll was based on telephone interviews, in English and Spanish, with 580 adult Catholics.

Three-quarters of those polled said they thought it was a good idea for Pope Benedict to resign. Most wanted the next pope to be "someone younger, with new ideas". A majority said they wanted the next pope to make the Church's teachings more liberal.

Sixty-two per cent said they were in favour of legalising marriage for same-sex couples. Catholics approved of same-sex marriage at a higher rate than Americans as a whole, among whom 53 per cent approved.

Source:

New York Times

Image: Another Voice-Greenleaf