King's Ransom

"Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit  who  is in you, whom you have from God,  and you are not your own.  For  you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."

I Corinthians 6:19, 20 

" The bishop approached him and said, in a low voice, 'Do not forget, ever, that you have promised me to use this silver to become an honest man.' 

Jean Valjean, who had no recollection of any such promise, stood dumbfounded. The bishop had stressed these words as he spoke them. He continued solemnly, 'Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul I am buying for you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God!" 

~Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

Believe it or not, last night was the first time I have ever seen any version of Les Miserables, although I heard a great deal. I was so struck by the truth that was spoken by the bishop to a wicked and depraved Jean Valjean, after this criminal was caught red handed with the bishop's silver wares. In the 1996 movie the bishop pulls back the hood shrouding this convict's face, the metaphor of moving from darkness to light, from evil to good, as he says the above words that changed a man, and everyone he touched, forever. 

As I tearfully watched this it hit me, yet again, but in a new and profound way: This is what God who loves us so furiously, beyond what we can fathom, has done for each of us beloved! He has paid a King's ransom for us-the price was the very life of His Son. Without His redemption we would only be what judgement measures: liars, thieves, adulterers, and worse.  As I watched that scene it was a reminder, and it was as if I was that criminal and Jesus Himself was pronouncing over me the words of the bishop. Ransomed by the love of the Father, now go out and do likewise. We are not to listen to the accuser, who like Inspector Javers, is always trying to use judgement and self righteous offense  to remind us of the old man, in ourselves and others. We have been forgiven and ransomed. Let us be ambassadors of love. 

This is the message of the Gospels.