In both the stage and film versions of Les Miserables, the almost-last line (just before the finale) is
My question is: Who was it that equated loving a person with seeing God?
In other words: When the characters in the musical referred to “the truth that once was spoken”, exactly who was it that spoke that truth? When? And where?
In my attempts to research this question, some seemed to say it came from the original novel by Victor Hugo, but there were no references to show where in the novel I’d find it, such as which book or chapter. I suppose it might have been an in-joke by the writers, a sort of self-reference, but I’d like to know for sure.
The exact phrase does not appear in the novel. Does have some similarities to the original French lyrics of the final song, which translates “The couple who loves each other unknowingly love God”.
Victor Hugo was not religious- he disliked organized religion for the usual reasons- but he was spiritual and had mystical beliefs. He refers to God euphemistically as “the light” several of his writings, and equates love of one’s fellow men as the true message of Christ, so while probably not an exact translation of anything he said it certainly would seem consistent with his beliefs.
Well, Les Miserables, the book, does have the line: “God is behind everything, but everything hides God. Things are black, creatures are opaque. To love a being is to render that being transparent.”
But beyond that, maybe it’s biblical?
Maybe 1 John 4:7?
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God”