I have watched the Harry Potter films more times than I can remember. I haven’t had the time to read the books yet, accept for the first and sixth book. I know, I know, shame on me for skipping around, but what can I say. Anyways, I have always found the scene between Harry and Voldemort in the Goblet of Fire to be very interesting, particularly because of the reasoning Voldemort gives Harry for his survival of the attack. Voldemort states the following to Harry:
The boy who lived. How lies have fed your legend Harry. Shall I reveal what really happened that night thirteen years ago? Shall I divulge how I truly lost my powers? It was love. You see, when dear sweet Lily Potter gave her life for her only son, she provided the ultimate protection. I could not touch you. It was old magic, something I should have forseen. But no matter, no matter, things have changed. I can touch you now! (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 2005)
I thought it was very interesting that the reason for Harry’s protection, for his escape from death, was because of his mother’s love for him which she expressed through the sacrifice of her own life. I think this is an incredible example of agape love. Jesus says in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” Although I’m not suggesting that the message in Harry Potter is necessarily Christian, I would like to point out that the concepts are the same in both the film and in Christianity; sacrificial love is incredibly power. In the film, Lily Potter sacrificed her life to save her son. In Christianity, Jesus Christ sacrificed His life to save humanity. Both Lily and Christ demonstrate sacrificial or agape love that seemingly produces some sort of supernatural power to protect or save.
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