Les Misèrables recognizes, and affirms, the awful tension between what is and what should be: it trumpets that love has overcome the world.
Les Misèrables proclaims the Gospel.
Rejecting violence, revenge, and hatred Jean Valjean embodies that cruciform life as he loves all those around him, especially his enemy Javert.
The story rejects violent revolution as a means to success even as it *affirms* the *ideals* of the revolution.
The finale DESTROYS COMPLETELY the song of the revolution. In this, the eschatology of Les Misèrables proclaims the coming Kingdom:
Do you hear the people sing?
Lost in the valley of the night
It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light
For the wretched of the earth
There is a flame that never dies
Even the darkest nights will end and the sun will rise
They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord
They will walk behind the ploughshare
They will put away the sword
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward!
Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!
Furthermore:
Fantine:
Come with me
Where chains will never bind you
All your grief
At last, at last behind you
Lord in heaven
Look down on him in mercy
Jean Valjean:
Forgive me all my trespasses and take me to your glory.
Fantine, Valjean, Epinione:
Take my hand
and lead me to salvation.
Take my love
Cause love is everlasting
And remember the truth
That once was spoken
To love another person
Is to see the face of God
Because the truth of Les Mis is that Love—weak and slippery as it is—is the means by which the world is put back to rights.
And this Love comes through suffering!!
For to love another person is to see the face of God.
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