(original text in Portuguese / english text after the portuguese originaly)

The constraint to do the good: The conversion of Jean Valjean due to the bishop of Digne in “The miserable“

The question is: what to believe? In the doctrine? In the Bible? In the liturgy? Yup, but above all that God loves us

- Pastoral reflections -

Author
Eneas de Camargo Beast

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Literature frequently addresses the theme of redemption and the moral transformation of his characters. A clear example is the opera “The Miserables” (1862), Victor Hugo, in which the conversion of the protagonist Jean Valjean is triggered by the act of kindness and generosity of the bishop of Digne.

Valjean is initially presented as an ex-convict that, after serving a long sentence for stealing bread to feed his family, faces rejection and marginalization from society. This hostile environment leads him to adopt a hardened stance towards humanity.

At a crucial moment in the narrative, Valjean steals the silver cutlery from Bishop Myriel. This scene marks a turning point in Valjean's life. Despite the robbery, when Valjean is captured and brought back by the police to the bishop's house, Bishop Myriel shows extraordinary compassion and mercy. He tells the police that the silver cutlery was a gift given to Valjean, and also gives him two silver candlesticks, increasing the generosity of “dono”. This act of kindness has a profound impact on Valjean, influencing his actions for the rest of his life.

Valjean's reaction to the bishop's kindness reveals an internal ambivalence. On one side, he feels embarrassed and ashamed of his previous conduct, recognizing the discrepancy between his actions and the bishop's example of love and mercy. The other part, this experience awakens in him an authentic desire for change and a desire to reciprocate the good received.

From that moment on, Valjean strives to become a better person and do good for others. He begins his journey of redemption in Montreuil-sur-Mer, a small town where he establishes a factory and implements innovative and fair labor practices. His administration not only revitalizes the local economy, but it also significantly improves the living conditions of workers. His reputation as a just and charitable man grows and he is eventually elected mayor of the city.

Valjean's transformation is not limited to business success and social status. Internally, he is dedicated to living a life of sacrifice and service to others, honoring his promise to Bishop Myriel. He intervenes in various situations to help people in difficulty, often putting their own safety at risk. A notable example is his interaction with Fantine, a disgraced worker in her factory. After discovering the desperate situation of Fantine and her daughter Cosette, Valjean agrees to take care of the girl, promise that he keeps with great dedication and love.

The parallel between Valjean's experience and the concept of compulsion to do good reveals a profound reflection on human nature and the possibility of redemption. Featuring a character who finds inspiration and motivation to become a better person through an act of generosity, Victor Hugo emphasizes the importance of love and forgiveness in spiritual and moral transformation.

The tale of Jean Valjean ne The Miserables leads us to reflect on the human being's ability to redeem himself and change his life path. Through the parallel with the concept of compulsion to do good, we realize that the experience of receiving generosity and unconditional forgiveness can trigger a profound transformation. Come Valjean, we are confronted with the internal ambivalence between our past actions and the aspiration to become better human beings and, even more, santi.

How Valjean felt forced by the act of kindness of the Bishop of Digne, the love of Christ also binds us (cfr 2Cor 5,14). Jesus' supreme sacrifice on the cross reveals God's unconditional love for humanity and the extension of that love to all individuals, regardless of their condition or past sins. This love binds us because it confronts us with our own imperfection and sinfulness, leading us to recognize our need for redemption.

This translates into a real understanding of what holiness is, not simply as moral acts, which is important, but as a consequence of feeling loved by God. The saint, so, he is the one who understands his misery and allows himself to be profoundly influenced by God's love for us in Jesus Christ on the cross, in such a way as to change the course of his spiritual and moral life:

«And he died for everyone, so that those who live no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again for them" (2 Color 5,15); «For God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him does not perish, but have eternal life" (GV 3, 16).

The question is: what to believe? In the doctrine? In the Bible? In the liturgy? Yup, but above all that God loves us:

«At the beginning of being a Christian there is no ethical decision or great idea, but the encounter with an event, with a person, which gives life a new horizon and with it the decisive direction. In his Gospel John had expressed this event with the following “words: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only begotten Son, because everyone believes in him … have eternal life" (3, 16). With the centrality of love, the Christian faith welcomed what was the core of Israel's faith and at the same time gave this core a new depth and breadth. The believing Israelite, indeed, pray every day with the words of the Book of Deuteronomy, in which he knows that the center of his existence is contained: "Listen, Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is only one. You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all my soul and with all my strength" (6, 4-5). Jesus united, making it a single precept, the commandment of the love of God with that of the love of neighbor, contained in the Book of Leviticus: "You will love your neighbor as yourself" (19, 18; cfr Mc 12, 29-31). Since God loved us first (cf. 1 GV 4, 10), love is now no longer just a "commandment", but it is the response to the gift of love, with which God comes to meet us" (Pope Benedict XVI Encyclical Letters God Is Love, n.1).

Jundiaì, 3 March 2025

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THE CONVERSION OF JEAN VALJEAN BECAUSE OF THE BISHOP OF DIGNE IN THE WORK “LES MISERABLES“

The question is: what to believe in? In doctrine? In the Bible? In the liturgy? Yes, but above all that God loves us.

— pastoral reflections —

Author
Eneas de Camargo Beast

.

Literature frequently addresses the theme of redemption and the moral transformation of its characters. A striking example is Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables” (1862), in which the conversion of the protagonist Jean Valjean is triggered by the act of kindness and generosity of the Bishop of Digne.

Valjean is initially presented as a former convict who, after serving a long sentence for stealing bread to feed his family, must face rejection and marginalization from society. This hostile environment leads him to adopt a hardened position towards humanity.

At a crucial moment in the narrative, Valjean steals the silverware from Bishop Myriel. This scene marks a turning point in Valjean’s life. Despite the robbery, when Valjean is captured and brought back to the bishop’s house by the police, Bishop Myriel displays extraordinary compassion and mercy. He tells the police that the silverware was a gift to Valjean, and also gives him two silver candlesticks, increasing the generosity of the “gift.” This act of kindness has a profound impact on Valjean, influencing his actions for the rest of his life.

Valjean’s reaction to the bishop’s kindness reveals an internal ambivalence. On the one hand, he feels embarrassed and ashamed of his previous conduct, recognizing the discrepancy between his actions and the bishop’s example of love and mercy. On the other hand, this experience awakens in him a genuine desire for change and a desire to reciprocate the good received.

From that moment on, Valjean is committed to becoming a better person and doing good for others. He begins his journey of redemption in Montreuil-sur-Mer, a small town where he establishes a factory and implements innovative and fair labor practices. His administration not only revitalizes the local economy, but also significantly improves the living conditions of the workers. His reputation as a just and charitable man grows, and he is eventually elected mayor of the town.

Valjean’s transformation is not limited to business success and social status. Internally, he dedicates himself to living a life of sacrifice and service to others, honoring his promise to Bishop Myriel. He intervenes in various situations to help those in need, often risking his own safety. A notable example is his interaction with Fantine, a disgraced worker in his factory. After discovering the desperate situation of Fantine and her daughter Cosette, Valjean pledges to care for the girl, a promise he keeps with great dedication and love.

The parallel between Valjean’s experience and the concept of being forced to do good reveals a profound reflection on human nature and the possibility of redemption. By presenting a character who finds inspiration and motivation to become a better person through an act of generosity, Victor Hugo highlights the importance of love and forgiveness in spiritual and moral transformation.

The story of Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables“ leads us to reflect on the ability of human beings to redeem themselves and change their life path. Through the parallel with the concept of being forced to do good, we realize that the experience of receiving generosity and unconditional forgiveness can trigger a profound transformation. Like Valjean, we are confronted with the internal ambivalence between our past actions and the aspiration to become better and, even more, saintly human beings.

Just as Valjean felt bound by the act of kindness of the Bishop of Digne, the love of Christ also binds us (cf. 2 Color 5:14). The supreme sacrifice of Jesus on the cross reveals God’s unconditional love for humanity and the extension of that love to all individuals, regardless of their condition or past sins. This love binds us because it confronts us with our own imperfection and sinfulness, leading us to recognize our need for redemption.

This translates into a real understanding of what holiness is, not simply as moral acts, which is important, but as a consequence of feeling loved by God. The saint, therefore, is one who understands his misery and allows himself to be profoundly conditioned by God’s love for us in Jesus Christ on the cross, so as to change the course of his spiritual and moral life:

«and that He died for all, that those who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them and rose again» (2Color 5,15) «For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life» (Jn 3, 16).

The question is: what to believe in? In doctrine? In the Bible? In the liturgy? Yes, but above all that God loves us:

«We have come to believe in God’s love: in these words the Christian can express the fundamental decision of his life. Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction. Saint John’s Gospel describes that event in these words: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should … have eternal life” (3:16). In acknowledging the centrality of love, Christian faith has retained the core of Israel’s faith, while at the same time giving it new depth and breadth. The pious Jew prayed daily the words of the Book of Deuteronomy which expressed the heart of his existence: “Hear, Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your might” (6:4-5). Jesus united into a single precept this commandment of love for God and the commandment of love for neighbour found in the Book of Leviticus: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (19:18; cf. Mk 12:29-31). Since God has first loved us (cf. 1 Jn 4:10), love is now no longer a mere “command”; it is the response to the gift of love with which God draws near to us» (Benedict XVI, God is Love, 1).

Jundiaì, 3 March 2025

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THE CONSTRAINT TO DO GOOD: THE CONVERSION OF JEAN VALJEAN BECAUSE OF THE BISHOP OF DIGNE IN “THE MISERABLES“

The question is what to believe? In doctrine? In the Bible? On the Liturgy? Sim, But most of all God loves us.

— Pastoral reflections —

Author
Eneas de Camargo Beast

Literature frequently addresses the theme of redemption and the moral transformation of its characters. A striking example is the work “Les Misérables” (1862), by Victor Hugo, in which the conversion of the protagonist Jean Valjean is triggered by the act of kindness and generosity of the Bishop of Digne.

Valjean is initially introduced as an ex-convict what, after serving a long sentence for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family, faces rejection and marginalization from society. This hostile environment leads him to adopt a hardened stance towards humanity..

At the crucial moment of the narrative, Valjean steals silver cutlery from Bishop Myriel. This scene marks a turning point in Valjean's life. Despite the theft, when Valjean is captured and taken back to the bishop's house by the police, Bishop Myriel demonstrates extraordinary compassion and mercy. He tells the police that the silver cutlery was a gift given to Valjean., and even gives him two silver candlesticks, increasing the generosity of “here I'm”. This act of kindness has a profound impact on Valjean., influencing your actions for the rest of your life.

Valjean's reaction to the Bishop's kindness reveals an internal ambivalence. On the one hand, he feels embarrassed and ashamed about his previous conduct, recognizing the discrepancy between their actions and the Bishop's example of love and mercy. On the other hand, This experience awakens in him a genuine desire for change and a desire to reciprocate the good received.

From that moment, Valjean strives to become a better person and do good for others. He begins his journey of redemption in Montreuil-sur-Mer, a small town where he establishes a factory and implements innovative and fair work practices. His administration not only revitalizes the local economy, but also significantly improves the living conditions of workers. His reputation as a just and charitable man grows, and he is eventually elected mayor of the city.

Valjean's transformation is not limited to business success and social status. Internally, he is dedicated to living a life of sacrifice and service to others, honoring his promise to Bishop Myriel. He intervenes in various situations to help people in difficulty, often putting their own safety at risk. A notable example is his interaction with Fantine, a worker in his factory who fell from grace. Upon discovering the desperate situation of Fantine and her daughter,, Cosette, Valjean promises to take care of the girl, a promise that he fulfills with great dedication and love.

The parallel between Valjean's experience and the concept of constraint to do good reveals a deep reflection on human nature and the possibility of redemption. By presenting a character who finds the inspiration and motivation to become a better person through an act of generosity, Victor Hugo highlights the importance of love and forgiveness in spiritual and moral transformation.

The story of Jean Valjean in “Les Misérables“ leads us to reflect on the ability of human beings to redeem themselves and change their life path. Through the parallel with the concept of constraint to do good, we realize that the experience of receiving generosity and unconditional forgiveness can trigger a profound transformation. Just like Valjean, we are faced with the internal ambivalence between our past actions and the aspiration to become better human beings and, even more, santos.

Just as Valjean felt embarrassed by the Bishop of Digne's act of kindness,, Christ's love also constrains us (cf. 2Color 5,14). Jesus' supreme sacrifice on the cross reveals God's unconditional love for humanity and the extension of that love to all individuals, regardless of your condition or past sins. This love constrains us because it confronts us with our own imperfection and sinfulness., leading us to recognize our need for redemption.

This results in a real understanding of what holiness is, not merely as moral acts, which is important, but as a consequence, of feeling loved by God. The saint, then, is the one who understands his misery and is deeply constrained by God's love for us in Jesus Christ on the cross, so that, changes the direction of your spiritual and moral life:

“This results in a real understanding of what holiness is, not merely as moral acts, which is important, but as a consequence, of feeling loved by God. The saint, then, is the one who understands his misery and is deeply constrained by God's love for us in Jesus Christ on the cross, so that, changes the direction of your spiritual and moral life: “And he died for everyone, so that those who live no longer live for themselves, but to him who died for them and rose again.”(2Color 5,15); or even: “In effect, so much did God love the world, who gave him his only Son, so that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life”(Jo 3,16).

The question is what to believe? In doctrine? In the Bible? On the Liturgy? Sim, But most of all God loves us:

“In this way the Christian can express the fundamental choice of his life. At the beginning of being a Christian, there is no ethical decision or big idea, but the encounter with an event, with a Person who gives life a new horizon and, this way, the decisive direction. In your Gospel, John had expressed this event with the following words: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that whoever believes in him (…) have eternal life” (3, 16). With the centrality of love, the Christian faith embraced the core of Israel's faith and, at the same time, gave this core a new depth and breadth. The Israelite Believer, de facto, pray every day with the words from the Book of Deuteronomy, in which he knows that the center of his existence is contained: “Listening, from Israel! The Lord, our God, is the only Lord! You will love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength” (6, 4-5). Jesus united — making them a single precept — the commandment of love for God with that of love for others, contained in the Book of Leviticus: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Jo 4, 10), now love is no longer just one “commandment”, but it is the response to the gift of love with which God comes to meet us» (Pope Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est, n.1).

Jundiaì, 3 leave 2025

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