Candlesticks and Renewal

Victor Hugo wrote a beautiful story of heartache and redemption in Les Miserable’s.  In this story, the main character John Valjean is escaping his prison sentence.  Imprisoned for stealing food for himself and his family to escape starvation, the sentence is finally over.  However, the stigma of being a convict remains. 

Exhausted, hungry and with growing desperation Valjean finds himself outside of a home, the home of a priest.  The priest welcomes this man into his home, feeds him, provides a bed, and a safe shelter.  How does Valjean repay the man for his kindness?  As I said, his fear and panic was mounting, so he stole a candlestick from the priest, a silver object worth a fair sum of money.  Sneaking out, it was not long till Valjean was at the door of the priest’s home again – this time with a constable forcing him back.  The stolen candlestick was to be returned to the priest. 

It seems pretty self-evident what the next reaction would be right?  Why yes officer, this was stolen from me.  Thank you for returning it to me.  Once a crook, always a crook… don’t you hear the statements going on and on.  Instead, the priest turned and to the astonishment of both John Valjean and the constable which was preparing to arrest him for larceny – the priest refused to accept the candlestick and then even offered the matching one.  My friend, you forgot the other – my friend, the priest acknowledges this man, this thief, this dubious character and makes it clear that these candlesticks are anything but free.  They come with a high price, the price of John Valjean spending the rest of his life repaying the debt that the priest had set before him.

I’m not sure I could do what that priest did.  I’m not sure I could offer the second candlestick.  But, I am hopeful that I could do this and offer renewal.

Whatever happened to Valjean?  Well, I would hate to spoil the ending…  

The Debt

How many commercials have you heard on the radio, television, seen in the paper or internet – discussing the status of your checkbook? Somehow they always either seem to be promoting a way either out of debt or into buying something else.
Regardless of where you stand on personal debt or the current economic state, there are debts that we all have. One is a debt to each other, the “debt to continue to love one another.” Now, you may be familiar with the idea about loving your neighbor. But, to consider it a debt; this is going a step farther than many of us think or are perhaps prepared to think. And, not only a debt – but a continuing debt.
I know some people who would practically feel their skin crawl at this moment, claiming independence as their greatest strength. Yet, here we have a “continual debt” given to us. The task that we use to fulfill this debt is to love each other. Not an easy task that we have in front of us.
I understand that there will be at least 20 other women I have the pleasure of meeting and worshipping with in thirteen days. There will be a task before each of us, to love one another. A debt to love one another: being patient, kind, not jealous or proud, not boastful, not demanding our own way, but rejoicing with each other. Not giving up on each other, but always hoping and enduring.