This week we continue our Worship series titled The Grace of Les Misérables, based on the book by the same title by Rev. Matt Rawle. The first week, we focused on Jean Valjean and grace, and the second week we looked at the rigidity of Javert.
This week is a bit more “gray” as we look at the life and struggles of Fantine, a woman who fell in love before finding herself a single mother. Our heart is with single parents today, to be sure; yet Fantine’s circumstance was made ever-more challenging because of the social perceptions of unmarried women with children. Because of this, she faced unimaginable choices and terrifying realities. Throughout these trials, she is continually judged and continually dehumanized.
Matthew 25:31-46 (CEB)
31 “Now when the Human One comes in his majesty and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.33 He will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left.
34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. 35 I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 36 I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’
37 “Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me, you who will receive terrible things. Go into the unending fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 I was hungry and you didn’t give me food to eat. I was thirsty and you didn’t give me anything to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t welcome me. I was naked and you didn’t give me clothes to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?’ 45 Then he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me.’ 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment. But the righteous ones will go into eternal life.”
- What questions do Fantine’s experience raise about the nature of judgement? About compassion? How does her experience shape her outlook on the world?
- What are the difficult choices Fantine faces? How were these perceived in Fantine’s time (early 19th century), and how would they be perceived today? What might this have changed?
- What parallels can you imagine today from Fantine’s experience?
- What does the text above tell you about how to treat people experiencing these kinds of circumstances? What does your faith and experience of God tell you? What does our culture tell us?