Grace Turns our World Upside Down

At the beginning to the musical Les Misérables, the lead character Jean Valjean is arrested by the police, with silver he has stolen from a kindly bishop who had given him shelter. Valjean is plainly guilty and the police bring him before the bishop, whose word will send him back to the chain-gangs. But the bishop astonishes everyone (not least Valjean!) by declaring that the silver was a gift. Because the bishop declares Valjean not guilty, he is not guilty, even though he committed the crime and deserves the punishment which should be coming to him.

Valjean realises the grace…