Starting Over

We saw "Les Miserables" (the film) on Dec. 26th.  It was superb.  I hope you see it, if you have not.

The main character, Jean valJean, keeps starting over.  He must.  Given a generous dollop of grace by a priest from whom he has stolen, he takes a new name and creates a new life of responsible behavior.  Through inattention he permits a foreman who works for him to destroy a female employee.  He learns of it as she dies, and accepts the responsibility for her daughter.  He starts over.  Again.  Always he is haunted by Javier, a Guard (read policeman) with an obsession to catch him and put him back in penal servitude.  He is recognized and has to flee.  He starts his life anew -- again.  He simply does it, with grace and gritted teeth.

Javier, however, is forgiven by Jean valJean.  As the story nears it's end Javier sings his despair.  He doesn't know how to handle grace.  He is so invest ed in rigidity, rules, his understanding of righteousness that he cannot start over.  Rather than risk a new beginning, he plunges to his death.

I wonder:  when we refuse new beginnings are we simply committing suicide at some deep level?  Even if the body continues to move, the heart keeps beating, the lungs pump air -- has a person destroyed the possibilities of newness, new life, new relationships, new understandings and new hope?

What do you think?  Leave a comment and let us know.