My favorite scene in Les Miserables (can be translated to The Miserable, or The Wretched)...(the 2012 movie version) is near the beginning when Jean Val Jean, a man who had recently been released from 19 years of prison for stealing a loaf of bread, searched in vain to find food and shelter. You see, no one wanted to take him in because his papers reflected his past and since everyone at that time was starving, he wasn’t worth a risk or precious food. He roamed around, close to dying from hunger, when he stumbled upon a convent of sorts. The Bishop was the only one that offered him food and a warm, safe place to stay for the night. Once everyone was asleep, Jean Val Jean stole all the valuable silver and took off. The Bishop’s wife was clearly unhappy when they woke to find that they had been robbed by the man they showed compassion to, but soon the police showed up with Jean Val Jean in chains. They showed the bag of stolen goods to the Bishop and told the bishop that the man said the bag of silver was a gift. This is where the movie gets good. The Bishop looked down at the pathetic, guilty, and angry Jean Val Jean and told the police that the man was telling the truth! That the silver WAS a gift and then said to Jean Val Jean, “You forgot I gave these also, would you leave the best behind”? “They are worth more, surely you forgot them” and then gave him the expensive, highly valuable candlesticks while the police watched in disbelief. The Bishop thanked the police for doing their job and dismissed them. Once they left, he told Jean Val Jean that he saved his soul for God and to use the items to live a life of honesty. Bam.
Let me submit my definitions for Mercy and Grace:
Mercy: NOT getting what you deserveGrace: Getting what you DON’T deserve
Obviously, if the Bishop wanted to send Jean Val Jean back to prison, he was totally in the right, no one would have blinked an eye. But he held back and didn’t let Jean Val Jean get the punishment he deserved. Mercy.
On top of that, now this is the “kicker” for me, on TOP of
not giving the thief what he deserved, he gave him some good stuff, the expensive
candle sticks! Grace.
What was this guy’s motive? He didn’t get anything for
showing Mercy or Grace to someone so clearly undeserving, maybe a “good feeling”
but that doesn’t last long when you have no income, or financial stability. He
must have placed his value, personal significance, and security in something
else. SomeTHING else, or someONE else.
It reminds me of this poem I read:
“Praise the Lord, my soul,
And forget not all his benefits—
Who forgives all your sins
And heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit
And crowns you with love and compassion,
Who satisfies your desires with good things
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s…” (Psalms 103:2-5)
And forget not all his benefits—
Who forgives all your sins
And heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit
And crowns you with love and compassion,
Who satisfies your desires with good things
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s…” (Psalms 103:2-5)
So God gives new life, brings a person out
of “The Pit,” which is totally an act of mercy because we all do things or create
situations that make “The Pit” a consequence of those actions…But he doesn't
stop there, on top of that redemptive act, he gives good stuff, he satisfies
our desires with good things and renews our youth! That’s crazy stuff. I
imagine that really getting this concept is the stuff that life change is made
out of. I mean, how can someone so
forgiven, or released from obvious guilt not live in amazing freedom,
especially when he receives good stuff on top of that so he is equipped of
living a free man’s life!?
Can we take this back to Les Mis for a
quick minute? Because of one Bishop’s actions towards one man, how many people
reaped the benefit? Here are a few examples: Jean Val Jean (now to be known as JVJ)
created a business situation that gave many poor people work, JVJ saved the man
under from the weight of the cart, JVJ saved Fantine from immediate death from
the hands of a ruthless man, JVJ saved the orphan named Cosette, JVJ saved
Marius from the French soldiers, and he saved Javert from the French Student’s revolt.
All these people received the benefits of the Bishop’s selfless act of
releasing his rights in order to give Mercy and Grace. Man, personally, it is easier for me to show Mercy to people than to show Grace (please note I specifically wrote "easier...than"). I can relent, but to relent AND be kind on top of it…it is a painful struggle I normally lose. Sometimes, there is not even a struggle. I am an example of a “work in progress.” Ah, but a work in progress is still a work in progress so there is hope! Are you with me?!
Alright, video time! I like this band, and I love this song (I do not own this video)!
There are also so many themes you can tie into here with regards to the law as well. It's important to note that JVJ's original sentence was 5 years, his other 14 years were additional punishment for trying to escape, and get out from under the (unjust) law - 5 years for a loaf of bread. The law, and it's burden drove JVJ to despise the law, despise humanity, and even despise himself. So much so that he could not even fathom mercy, let alone grace. The law had twisted him that much.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Javert, as representation of law itself is an equally daunting presence. There is no room for mercy and grace when the law is the law. In fact, Javert comes to his bitter end due to the fact that he can make NO sense of mercy and grace and having it placed upon him. Mercy and grace, are so counter-intuitive to the rule of the law, that the law self-destructs.
Anyway, not to detract from your points, which are very much key to the themes of mercy and grace which are very much prevalent within this story. But, the law, it plays an equally important part in this work. Very much so.
Yes, you make great points! I was just writing about my favorite scene and gave the "why" behind it. But you bring up valid thoughts, thank you!
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