No, I am not taking sides, nor am I suggesting that we start a revolution. The Victor Hugo story, “Les Miserables,” has been in my brain for several weeks now. Victor was born just after the turn of the nineteenth century. He was a journalist, playwright, statesman and an activist. Being part of the Romantic Period of writing, most of his works are concerned with redemption – from political strife, from poverty, from corruption and from the classes of rich and poor. He is also known for writing “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Both of these works stir the heart and mind to thoughts of freedom, justice and truth.

“Les Miserables,” was made into a musical production which is still very popular today. Some amazing music came from this show. “Do You Hear the People Sing?” was one of them.

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again

When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes

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

These selected verses are words that seem to be resonating through our city. Angry voices – injustice – wanting to be heard. In our country, we are blessed to be able to protest peacefully. There are always two sides to any discussion or argument. Each side believes they are right and most of the time, they both have points to make that deserve a listening ear. Our freedom has been bought by the lives of many men and women who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.

In the story of Jean Valjean, we see a poverty-stricken man imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread. He manages to escape and slowly gains the freedom of being able to change his life. He takes on a new identity, starts a lucrative business and cares for the child of a homeless mother who has died from the depths of destitution. He has been redeemed but still has guilt hanging over his head. A determined law-enforcement officer has been tracking him down for years. He lives in fear of being found. In a way, we’re much like this man. We’re drowning in the depths of sin. We try on our own to make things right, but that sin follows us through life. True redemption is not something we can gain through good works. It is a gift of love given by God Himself. Through His sacrifice, the guilt is removed because our sins have been forgiven. The ransom has been paid. We can count on eternal life after death.

“The supreme happiness of life consists in the conviction that one is loved; loved for one’s own sake—let us say rather, loved in spite of oneself.” Jean Valjean