Peace.
.
A celebration of people who are living out their God-given dreams in all sorts of unconventional ways and places. An exploration of the obstacles to life that we often encounter - some of our own making. A place for stories about people, ideas, culture, history and God.
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Skit Guys
I first saw The Skit Guys five years ago at a Youth Specialties convention. This little piece, done in front of about 3000 people who love to work with young people, made me cry with laughter...and then with something else. If you ever need to be told, "Thanks," then this might be for you. Sometimes people notice, even when you can't tell that you're making any difference at all. (16 min.)
Peace.
.
Peace.
.
Les Miserables
I happened to see several parts of the movie Les Miserables this weekend. The story is a picture of all kinds of things where God's goodness shines through over and over again. There's the lead character, Jean Valjean: a servant, accused, harshly punished, redeemed, Grace personified. There's Javert: a police officer who tracks Valjean over the years and the miles: relentless, cold, Law personified, and ultimately killed by his own head-for-an-eye justice. There are the ones who are helped and blessed by Valjean along the course of his life.
And there's The Bishop. (Not the frilly entitled kind. The Real kind.) Here's a little of the conversation when Valjean arrives at the bishop's front door, asking shelter, announcing his name and nineteen year in prison, as required by his parole:
...turning to his guest: "The night wind is harsh on the Alps. You must be cold, sir."
Each time that he uttered the word sir, in his voice which was so gently grave and polished, the man's face lighted up. Monsieur to a convict is like a glass of water to one of the shipwrecked of the Medusa. Ignominy thirsts for consideration.
"This lamp gives a very bad light," said the Bishop.
Madame Magloire understood him, and went to get the two silver candlesticks from the chimney-piece in Monseigneur's bed-chamber, and placed them, lighted, on the table.
"Monsieur le Cure," said the man, "you are good; you do not despise me. You receive me into your house. You light your candles for me. Yet I have not concealed from you whence I come and that I am an unfortunate man."
The Bishop, who was sitting close to him, gently touched his hand. "You could not help telling me who you were. This is not my house; it is the house of Jesus Christ. This door does not demand of him who enters whether he has a name, but whether he has a grief. You suffer, you are hungry and thirsty; you are welcome. And do not thank me; do not say that I receive you in my house. No one is at home here, except the man who needs a refuge. I say to you, who are passing by, that you are much more at home here than I am myself. Everything here is yours. What need have I to know your name? Besides, before you told me you had one which I knew."
The man opened his eyes in astonishment.
"Really? You knew what I was called?"
"Yes," replied the Bishop, "you are called my brother."
"Stop, Monsieur le Cure," exclaimed the man. "I was very hungry when I entered here; but you are so good, that I no longer know what has happened to me." (Les Miserables, Vol. 1, Book 2nd, Chap. 3)
Now that's a man of God. I want to know what he has to say; I want to be around a guy whose heart infects others with wonder and hope. Valjean's notion of who he is ("I'm a convict") is shattered and his identity is transformed by his one evening with The Bishop. Valjean becomes, in midlife, a picture of the name he's owned since birth: "Valjean" means "powerful gift of God."
Reading the book takes a lot of time, but it's a masterpiece. If you like The Bishop's meeting with Valjean in the text above, follow the link to Wikisource and read the rest of their encounter. The bishop's backstory begins here; in fact, the Bishop is the one who starts the whole book off. If he weren't who God designed him to be, full of grace and generosity, a contrast to his often-rich and corrupt peers, we wouldn't have a book at all.
The funny thing is, there isn't a clue in Victor Hugo's biography to indicate that he's a Christian. But that sure didn't stop God from shining right through him into our lives, and certainly mine, today.
Free e-book via Gutenberg: ePub/Nook/iPad, Kindle/MOBI, and other formats.
Hardcover: Les Miserables (Everyman's Library)
.
Broadway musical touring production: Les Miserables.
Movie (Liam Neeson version, reviewers love first half, second is unlike book/musical): Les Miserables.
There are several movie versions out there (at least three more) - try the library.
.
And there's The Bishop. (Not the frilly entitled kind. The Real kind.) Here's a little of the conversation when Valjean arrives at the bishop's front door, asking shelter, announcing his name and nineteen year in prison, as required by his parole:
...turning to his guest: "The night wind is harsh on the Alps. You must be cold, sir."
Each time that he uttered the word sir, in his voice which was so gently grave and polished, the man's face lighted up. Monsieur to a convict is like a glass of water to one of the shipwrecked of the Medusa. Ignominy thirsts for consideration.
"This lamp gives a very bad light," said the Bishop.
Madame Magloire understood him, and went to get the two silver candlesticks from the chimney-piece in Monseigneur's bed-chamber, and placed them, lighted, on the table.
"Monsieur le Cure," said the man, "you are good; you do not despise me. You receive me into your house. You light your candles for me. Yet I have not concealed from you whence I come and that I am an unfortunate man."
The Bishop, who was sitting close to him, gently touched his hand. "You could not help telling me who you were. This is not my house; it is the house of Jesus Christ. This door does not demand of him who enters whether he has a name, but whether he has a grief. You suffer, you are hungry and thirsty; you are welcome. And do not thank me; do not say that I receive you in my house. No one is at home here, except the man who needs a refuge. I say to you, who are passing by, that you are much more at home here than I am myself. Everything here is yours. What need have I to know your name? Besides, before you told me you had one which I knew."
The man opened his eyes in astonishment.
"Really? You knew what I was called?"
"Yes," replied the Bishop, "you are called my brother."
"Stop, Monsieur le Cure," exclaimed the man. "I was very hungry when I entered here; but you are so good, that I no longer know what has happened to me." (Les Miserables, Vol. 1, Book 2nd, Chap. 3)
***
Now that's a man of God. I want to know what he has to say; I want to be around a guy whose heart infects others with wonder and hope. Valjean's notion of who he is ("I'm a convict") is shattered and his identity is transformed by his one evening with The Bishop. Valjean becomes, in midlife, a picture of the name he's owned since birth: "Valjean" means "powerful gift of God."
Reading the book takes a lot of time, but it's a masterpiece. If you like The Bishop's meeting with Valjean in the text above, follow the link to Wikisource and read the rest of their encounter. The bishop's backstory begins here; in fact, the Bishop is the one who starts the whole book off. If he weren't who God designed him to be, full of grace and generosity, a contrast to his often-rich and corrupt peers, we wouldn't have a book at all.
The funny thing is, there isn't a clue in Victor Hugo's biography to indicate that he's a Christian. But that sure didn't stop God from shining right through him into our lives, and certainly mine, today.
Free e-book via Gutenberg: ePub/Nook/iPad, Kindle/MOBI, and other formats.
Hardcover: Les Miserables (Everyman's Library)
.Broadway musical touring production: Les Miserables.
Movie (Liam Neeson version, reviewers love first half, second is unlike book/musical): Les Miserables.
There are several movie versions out there (at least three more) - try the library.
.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)