Les Miserables by Walter Hugo is one of my favorite books, plays and movies. It is a tremendous story of how a life is redeemed by an act of forgiveness.
Jean Valjean is a petty criminal who is ‘saved’ from arrest by the forgiving act of a Catholic bishop. This small act of forgiveness changes Jean Valjeans life. He changes his ways, becomes a respected, wealthy and generous man who saves the life of a prostitute’s daughter by taking her in as his daughter. He changes his name to Madeleine to help erase his past.
The rest of the story revolves around the crusade of Inspector Javert who constantly is trying to prove that Madeleine is Valjean so he can put him back into prison. Javert cares nothing about Valjeans changed life. His whole life is driven by the pursuit of justice. He cares nothing about love or forgiveness.
What does this have to do with Easter?
The story of Valjeans changed life is representative of God’s nature that is presented in this scripture:
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:16)
But there is more to God than just love. God is also holy.
Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy. (Psalm 99:9)
As much as we want to focus on God’s love, and it is something important to focus on, we can’t forget that God is also holy. He cannot accept sin. Sin cannot be ignored. Sin cannot be overlooked.
Sin must be paid for. Sin leads to death.
For the wages of sin is death… (Romans 6:23)
At the end of Les Miserables, Jean Valjean is ready to turn himself into Javert, but in the process he winds up saving Javerts life. Jean Valjean reconciles the love of God and the holiness of God in his life and he is at peace.
Javert can’t understand why Valjean would risk his freedom to save Javert’s life. He cannot reconcile God’s love with the holiness/justice that has driven him all his life. He winds up killing himself rather than live with both the holiness of God and the love of God.
Jesus is our Jean Valjean, willing to sacrifice himself for us to save our lives. Easter is that season when we celebrate the love of God coming together with the holiness of God on the cross.
Next Sunday is really important.
7 comments:
Beautiful, Dan. I have always enjoyed reading and listening to your stories.
Great! Now I want to read the book. I rented the movie once, years ago, and got impatient with the English subtitles. You have my attention! Thanks for writing for us every day!
xoxo,mld
Thanks for sharing Dan,
Lisa
Blessed Holy Week to you~
Happiest Easter to you!
Jo and I love that movie too. She has read the book, but I haven't yet.
Next Sunday is the most important, isn't it? I remember when I first realized that and the joy it gave me.As you said, it is the "love of God coming together with the holiness of God on the cross."
I love the verse that says, "Mercy and truth are met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other." Psalm 85:10
It's a great book and a weighty work Dan and one I've always wanted to read, so thanks for the prompt and the warm quotations too.
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