Thursday of Week 9 in Ordinary Time
2 Tim 2:8-15
Mk 12:28–34
To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself…
I just watched the long-running musical Les Miserables, in a different format titled the Arena Spectacular version, where the cast members stand onstage and sing at mic stands instead of moving around to perform their roles. Though I definitely missed the evocative staging and emotional acting of the original, this ‘concert version’ helped me better appreciate the songs, their lyrics and, by extension, the plot development.
I will try not to give away too much beyond the first twenty minutes, but I was struck by how seemingly little acts can lead to profoundly great impact. Les Miserables’ protagonist is Jean Valjean, a man who was jailed nineteen years for theft, and after he is released, he finds it difficult to integrate into society. He finally resorts to stealing silverware from a kind bishop who offers him shelter, but when the bishop not only chooses to let him go free but gives him more, he decides to turn over a new leaf. Years later, Valjean has become a successful and respected owner of a factory, but he makes the mistake of ignoring his worker Fantine’s plight, which leads to her dismissal. The bishop’s and Valjean’s decisions (or lack of them, with regard to Fantine) make me reflect on how we can choose to view the people around us, as well as the significance of mercy (which is a major theme of the musical).
Besides mercy, the musical also emphasises love, as powerfully illustrated in the lyric, “To love another person is to see the face of God”. All kinds of love and relationships are featured, from parent-child relationships to romantic love, to the camaraderie between friends to love for one’s countrymen, and even love for money, for moments of comic relief. But what struck me this time round was how love often involved sacrifice, just as Jesus loved us to the point He gave up his life. Further, Javert — the police inspector ruthlessly pursuing Valjean, who serves as the so-called villain of the story — is portrayed as the only character who doesn’t seem to love; or rather, loves the law more than the people around him and even himself. It felt quite bittersweet to listen to his songs and realise the Pharisee-like approach he had for his work, while reflecting on how similar I could be to him.
Perhaps these reasons explain why Les Miserables – both the musical and its original novel – remain relevant and moving today. It makes me appreciate the power of storytelling and interested to explore other works with Christian themes, such as C.S. Lewis’ books.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Jaclyn Lam)
Prayer: Lord, help us to realise how you love us with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength. Help us to appreciate your grace and mercy, and help us to love others because we cannot do it on our own.
Thanksgiving: Jesus, we give thanks for how the Holy Spirit works through us. Help us to realise how you speak to us through both the sacred and secular works we encounter.
OXYGEN 
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