Holy Moments are Possible
December 9, 2022
To Inspire:
In this beautiful season of hope, I (Matt) thought I would share a story from Les Mis that most of us will remember. I take it from a book I’m reading by bestselling author Matthew Kelly entitled, Holy Moments: A Handbook for the Rest of Your Life.
“Holy moments are possible. If that statement is true, so many other things become possible.
There is an amazing moment in Victor Hugo’s epic story, Les Misérables The main character is a man named Jean Valjean. Released from prison after nineteen years of hard labor for stealing a loaf of bread, he is bitter, angry, and resentful of everyone. One evening he knocks on a door looking for food. The owner welcomes him into his home to share a meal and to stay the night.
Valjean repays this generous hospitality by stealing his host’s silverware. The police capture him the next day and bring him back to return the silverware. But Valjean’s host protests his thieving guest, telling the police that the silverware was a gift. This act of kindness, this Holy Moment, sets Valjean free in every way imaginable. Jean Valjean’s host was an elderly bishop who knew Holy Moments had the power to ransom people from fear and hatred and return them to God. This encounter with the bishop was the first time in decades Valjean had been treated with love, respect, and compassion. It forever changes him.”
Thank you Matthew Kelly for sharing this story and the Holy Moment that took place. It has me thinking about all the people we each know that need more hope in their lives. Someone who has hurt us, disappointed us, or ignored us. Rather than thinking about what they’ve done to us, perhaps we spend some moments thinking about what their life circumstances have done to them. Can we use this season to reach out to them and offer them a Holy Moment? Just a word of encouragement or forgiveness or kindness can be just what they need to become closer to the best version of themselves, the version God made them to be.
May we all find many moments that we can make Holy – by our listening heart, our encouraging words, and our compassionate actions.
The greatness and beauty of hope – it lies within all of us!
Written by Matt Palmer, Partner & Co-founder