Grace is an unexpected surprise

“Babette’s Feast” is a short story written by Isak Dinesen that was made into a film and won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1987. “Babette’s Feast” tells of a minister’s two daughters from a remote village in Denmark called Norre Vosburg who give up love and fame to remain in service to their tiny, strict Lutheran church. In spite of the women’s intentions, the years take their toll on the people of the church, which begins to deteriorate – consumed with rules and regulations and plagued by bitter feuds among the congregation members. 

Out of pity, the two sisters reluctantly take in a woman refugee from Paris who knocks on their door one rainy day. She has an accompanying note with her that concludes with the simple statement, “Babette can cook.” Babette settles in and obediently cooks for the two sisters, fixing only what their pleasure-denying palettes would allow – bland cod and gruel. 

Twelve years go by, and one day Babette receives surprising news in the mail that she holds the winning French lottery ticket, redeemable for 10,000 francs. Upon hearing this news, the two sisters, who’ve grown attached to and dependent upon Babette over the years, realize that Babette will leave them soon. 

Around this time, the tiny church holds an anniversary celebration in honour of its founder, so Babette asks the sisters if she can prepare a special French meal for this event. To the sisters, the thought of a French meal seems worldly and self-indulgent, perhaps even originating from Satan himself. However, Babette has never asked for anything before, so the two sisters feel compelled to agree to her request in spite of their fears. After Babette receives her prize money, she begins to purchase supplies for the meal, and the sisters watch in horror as Babette brings in champagne, chocolate, turtles, pheasants, and even a cow’s head. The duo meet secretly with the other members of the congregation, and they all conspire to eat the meal out of duty, but won’t enjoy it or even speak of the meal to each other. 

The night of the celebration comes, and the congregation sits down to dinner. A church member’s nephew, a high-ranking, cosmopolitan general, joins them; as the meal starts, the congregation eats and drinks without comment, but the general is amazed – he is drinking the finest Amontillado he’s ever had and eating real turtle soup, a delicacy never found in remote Denmark. Later, when he tastes the main course, the general announces that the only place he’d ever had this one-of-a-kind dish was at Cafe Anglais, a famous Parisian restaurant that was once well-known for its female chef. Throughout much of the meal, the general’s unbridled enthusiasm stands out against the stark silence of the rest of the dinner guests. 

As the meal continues, the feast has a transforming effect, and the church members gradually loosen up and begin to enjoy the meal. They begin to laugh and talk of good times in the past. Feuds that had gone on for years are dealt with and buried. Finally, at the evening’s conclusion, they go outside together, form a circle under the stars, and sing a hymn together. What was, hours before, a decaying, feuding congregation is now a unified, joyful one, transformed by Babette’s feast. 

The story ends with two bombshells. Babette first tells the two sisters that she was, in fact, the famous chef at Cafe Anglais (which the general had spoken of earlier in the evening). She then adds that she’ll be staying with the two in Norre Vosburg permanently. When the sisters ask about the prize money, Babette reveals that she spent the entire sum on the celebration meal. After all, that’s what a dinner for twelve costs at Cafe Anglais! 

Grace versus mercy: Knowing the difference

 

Although the terms grace and mercy are often used interchangeably, there’s a subtle difference in meaning between the two: Grace is receiving something that’s undeserved, while mercy isn’t receiving punishment that’s deserved. For example, in Les Miserables, the bishop’s mercy saves Valjean from life imprisonment, and his grace gives Valjean a new life. In the same way, God shows humans grace by giving the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, and he shows mercy by not punishing for their sin those who accept his gift.