Family Movie Night

Tonight we watched Les Miserables. Or as I was corrected by the lady working behind the counter at the movie store, "Less Miserable". I didn't argue, just smiled and told her it was French.

I've always loved the story since we read it in class for high school, and I've seen the movie before but for some reason, last night as I watched the contrast between Jean Valjean and Javert, I was quite aware of Hugo's commentary on grace.

Hugo tells a story of a Jean Valjean, a man profoundly and radically changed by a simple act of grace. From that moment, Valjean lives as a man haunted by grace -- grace is always present in his mind from that time forward. Valjean's foil (hope you paid attention in English class)is Javert, a police officer who lives his life to execute justice. He is so bent on ensuring that every rule be followed that he cannot understand the effects of mercy, when shown to others or himself.

When Jean Valjean realizes that he has been given a chance to have a new life because of act of mercy, he is able to live out of that and extend mercy to everyone he encounters.In the book the title where Valjean is shows Javert, his enemy for all extensive purposes is called "Jean Valjean takes his revenge". It is the act of mercy that rules cannot understand, and eats alive the mind of those who are bound by those same rules. Valjean tells Javert, "You are free." But Javert is not able to be free of the grace given to him. This reminds me of Judas in some small way. After Judas betrays Jesus, his heart is wrought with guilt because he doesn't know who Jesus is. He can't see that Christ's mercy overcomes all sin.

Javert and Jean Valjean have a conversion before Javert kills himself (SPOILER ALERT:too late?). In the movie, Javert says, "All my life, I've tried to live by the rules." I feel as though when we first grasp the grace that is extended to us through the cross, our souls are able to stop striving for perfection that we can never achieve. We are free, unlike Javert. We cannot live by the rules, no matter how hard we try. Only mercy can run through people's hearts, leading a wild dance of redemption.

Romans 6:14 says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace." We so casually approach the cross, not understanding its magnitude. We have been set free to live under grace. If only we let this truth really penetrate our hearts.









currently listening to: Sufjan Stevens, To Be Alone With You to be followed up with Brooke Waggoner's I am Mine