Les Miserables

As teacher mentioned, we saw Les Miz the other night.  What an overwhelming performance.  This was my first time to see a top shelf theatre company do a musical.  They really were superb.  

But the story really is what gets to me.  It's such a powerful message about redemption and the superiority of grace to law.  Jean Valjean is given a second chance at life by a generous priest.  It's a chance he really doesn't deserve (though he's been mistreated by the perverse system).  Through that he learns to be generous with others, even though he doesn't always get it right.  By contrast, the policeman Javert is limited by his narrow view of the world through the eyes of law (he really is the older brother in Jesus' story).  While Javert always sees Valjean as the contemptible criminal who broke the law, he acts unethically in the pursuit of the law himself.  In the end, he cannot handle the contrast of seeing how much better a man Valjean is.  He wastes his life while Valjean turns his into something meaningful.

What a great picture of the redemption message.  The final song calls us all to "come and join our crusade" and make a difference in the world.  It really had the feeling of an altar call. 

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Then join in the fight
That will give you the right to be free!