GLMX #125: Les Misérables and the Love of God

This past week, the much-anticipated movie Les Misérables was released in theaters. The movie is based on the popular musical of the same name which is based on the French historical novel written by Victor Hugo in 1862. The novel is considered to be one of the greatest works of literature of the 19th century.

Les Misérables is the story of Jean Valjean, a man who was imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread for his starving family and then trying to escape jail. After Javert, the jailer, releases him on parole Jean breaks parole and is nearly taken back to jail. But through the kindness of a priest, he is saved from prison. Jean's life is so impacted by the priest's generosity that he sets about to redeem himself in the eyes of God by doing good. He goes to a town named Montreuile under an assumed name and invents a manufacturing process that puts many of the townspeople to work and brings great prosperity to the town. Eventually, he is chosen to be the town's mayor.

Javert, however, is committed to the law and is determined to see Jean put back in jail. Throughout the story, he attempts to hunt down Jean so that he can make him pay for his crimes.

Jean, on the other hand, strives to redeem himself. He adopts the daughter of a poor, dying woman who works in his factory and raises her as his own. During a violent uprising in France, he saves the life of a wounded young man who eventually marries his adopted daughter. And when he has the opportunity to kill the jailer who had been hunting him down he lets him go free instead.

+ Plus, listen to MercyMe singing "Love of God"