I freely admit to crying every time I see the clip above. It is The Death of Valjean from Les Misérables. It especially gets to me at this time during Lent, for it expresses my greatest hope. As he sings:
Valjean – “It’s the story of one who turned from hating. A man who only learned to love when you were in his keeping.”
Fantine – “Come with me, the chains will never bind you. For your grief, it’s lost and left behind you. God in Heaven, look down upon him in mercy.”
Valjean – “Forgive me all my trespasses and take me to Your Glory.”
Fantine – “Take my hand, I’ll lead you to Salvation. Take my love …”
I am not in any way claiming that all the theology in this scene is fully correct. But, there is something that is caught here that speaks to my heart during Lent. It is my desire, and should be yours, to always make a good confession before God. This means both a good verbal confession to my father-confessor, and a good confession before the world by my actions and my attitudes. But, I know I fall far short. I know I am so lacking. Every Lent I sink into a wet-eyed realization of how much I am lacking. Does this mean that I think God will reject me? Well, the thing about Lent is that, if properly observed, those fears can rise up. But, this short clip reminds us that at the end of the journey there is a merciful God who is waiting to receive us to His Glory if only we will maintain the attitude of repentant sinners. The song repeats a refrain that reminds us that perfect love casts out fear.
And, at the end, as Valjean has made his last confession, not even to a priest but to his fellow believers, he walks into his future and is received by the figure of a priest in a chapel filled with candles who holds his hand out, “Take my hand, I’ll lead you to Salvation.” The theme that Fantine sings is carried into action by the figure of the priest, who symbolizes our great High Priest who lives to make intercession for us. Yes, I cry. I freely admit I cry.
You see, my hope is Valjean’s hope, and our Christian hope. It is the hope that as we make our last confession, as we have remained faithful, that we will hear that voice that says, “Come with me, the chains will never bind you.” Lent reminds me that I am so much of a sinner that I deserve no mercy whatsoever. This song reminds me that mercy is freely given and is a gift far beyond anything that we can expect. As has been said by more than one preacher, I do not want justice. I want mercy.
But, this also reminds me that I am called to have mercy on others. I am called to forgive trespasses that I might be forgiven as I have forgiven others. Yes, Lent is that time when I remember my true calling. It is to be a Son of God, to realize that God desires mercy and not sacrifice. Oddly enough, there is a counter scene earlier in the movie. It is when Javert commits suicide. Javert has lived the law as a policeman all his life. And, then, in spite of his sins against Valjean, he receives mercy from him. He cannot deal with that for he mistakenly believes that receiving mercy rather than law from Valjean means that the entire order of the universe has been destroyed and this universe is about to become a disorderly universe. Not wanting to live in a disorderly universe, having his entire view of Truth destroyed, Javert cannot countenance changing his opinion and commits suicide.
But, he was so wrong. He was mistaken about the true order. For God is a God of mercy. The Law was both to train us and to show us how wrong we have been. The Law is good, and still shows us how wrong we are. God is indeed a God of justice, and that should put a healthy fear in my life. But, God is also a God of repentance, forgiveness, and mercy. Lent reminds me so much of my own sin. The Law is good and holy and shows me how much evil is in my soul. But Lent also shows me the depths of God’s mercies that he forgives even me.
And, so I cry as I watch this clip, and my hope is Valjean’s hope, that God will, “forgive all my trespasses and take me to Your Glory.” And, I await to hear the same words that Valjean heard, “Take my hand, I’ll lead you to Salvation. Take my love …”
May God grant you a Lent in which you clearly see all your sins so that you may clearly understand God’s mercies toward you.
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