Beautiful Work

I like movies and I love movies that tell a story about Biblical truths. I also love food, so when these two things combine I get excited. This past weekend I watched a movie that I first watched about 15 years ago. The movie was a Danish film written and directed by the Gabriel Axel called Babette’s Feast.
The film is set in a small, bleak Danish village. The three main characters are two sisters and their maid. The two sisters have given up much in life in order to dedicate themselves to the church started by their father and to care for the people of the village by bringing food to the elderly. The food is simple and reflects peasant food that can be found throughout the world. In this film, the main dish was ale bread soup. A combination of dark rye bread and ale that was mixed in to a thick, brown, pasty mass that was heated. Life was portrayed as simple and harsh and their religion matched the setting. Going to church meant you dressed in black. The service was singing and preaching. One song continues to be repeated, “Jerusalem, My Heart’s True Home.” The most prominent lyric is “Jerusalem, my heart's true home, your name is forever dear to me. Your kindness is second to none, you keep us clothed and fed. Never would you give a stone to the child who begs for bread.” This lyric ties with the image of the bread soup. Life is simple, harsh but God provides. They longed for the glory of the New Jerusalem.

The climax of the film is an extravagant feast. The sisters long ago took in a refugee from France, who became their maid, Babette. The maid toiled for fourteen years in their service preparing simple meals and cleaning their home. One day, it appears as if life was going to change. The maid won the French lottery and won a significant amount of money. The sisters fear Babette will leave. Babette asks for a favour, permission to prepare a true French meal for the members of the church. The sisters deeply suspicious do grant the wish. As the supplies for the feast begin to arrive, the sisters become trouble and fear the devil is about to tempt them into sin, but they do not want to offend Babette. The sisters, along with the remaining members of the church agree to eat the meal, but will not discuss the food with the understanding that they will not enjoy it. Babette used every penny of her fortune to create a true French feast for Babette was once the head chef of one of Paris’ best restaurants. Each course was rich, luxurious and extravagant and was accompanied by a matching wine. The one outsider invited to the feast is astonished to find food like this in a simple village. As he raved and marveled at the feast the others begin to take delight in this beautiful meal. The feast ends with one church member looking up into the starlit sky and with his hands raised stated, “Hallelujah.” They just tasted a glimpse of the feast God has prepared for us in the New Jerusalem. God gave them more than their heart’s desire. He gave them more than bread.

The feast was created by a master chef with a grateful heart and it was beautiful. The meal was a work of art. Beautiful work allows us to experience what God has in store for us. Beautiful work or art is but a glimpse of the new heaven and the new earth. Beautiful work creates hope.
This is one of the reasons why beautiful work is important. As a staff of Community Christian School and embers of the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools we are being challenged to create curriculum that inspires students to create beautiful work in all subject areas. This involves understanding and appreciating the work of masters and learning from them. It is my hope that you will be able to catch a glimpse of God’s glory in the work of your daughter/son/grandchild/friend.