“Oh, praise the gracious power that tumbles walls of fear and gathers in one house of faith all strangers far and near: We praise you, Christ! Your cross has made us one! Oh, praise persistent truth that opens fisted minds and eases from their anxious clutch the prejudice that blinds: Oh, praise inclusive love, encircling every race, oblivious to gender, wealth, to social rank or place: Oh, praise the word of faith that claims us as God’s own, a living temple built on Christ, our rock and cornerstone: Oh, praise the tide of grace that laps at every shore with visions of a world at peace, no longer bled by war: Oh praise the power, the truth, the love, the word, the tide: Yet more than these, oh, praise their source, praise Christ the crucified: Oh, praise the living Christ with faith’s bright songful voice! Announce the gospel to the world and with these words rejoice: We praise you, Christ! Your cross has made us one!” – Evangelical Lutheran Worship; Lyrics by Thomas H. Troeger
This hymn is directly based on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s poem “By Gracious Powers” or “By Gentle Powers”, written in a Gestapo prison on New Year’s Eve 1944 as a message of hope and trust in God amidst Nazi persecution. It speaks of being sheltered by God’s presence amidst hardship, finding peace in suffering, and facing the future with hope.
There are different forms of power. Gracious power is grace expressed with kindness and mercy, building up others rather than tearing down. It is relational and persuasive, not coercive. Gentle power is not weakness, but quiet strength that is not harsh, forceful or aggressive. When we are gracious and fair to others, we are gentle, through persuasion and love, aiming for the common good. Both reflect the image of God within us. Authoritarian power is abusive power based on domination, coercion and control and characterized by a top-down, dominating approach. It involves a “power over” rather than a “power with”. It is contrary to God’s gracious and gentle power and places itself in the place of God.
Bonhoeffer compared the season of Advent during fascism, to a prison cell, where one waits and hopes on God’s intervention and liberation in a world trapped by sin and oppression, finding joy where God is in the midst of anguish. He found deep significance in Christ’s humble birth in a stable. Christmas, during fascism, is not a passive act, but one that requires a faith that is actively in opposition to lies, bigotry, and state sponsored violence. It is a time for resisting the trivialization of faith and finding genuine hope in a message of God’s presence with the lowly. The hope in the Christmas story is not a call to retreat from the world, but a source of strength for confronting the forces of fascism and injustice.
God’s gracious and gentle power is standing with the powerless, and made perfect in weakness. It compels us to work specifically with and on behalf of the poor, the powerless and those who suffer. God calls us to prioritize issues that affect the vulnerable, creation, hunger, poverty, and human rights and recognize God’s presence in those who are marginalized. God’s gracious power is at work in the world, even in the darkness
During advent and Christmas, God’s gracious power is celebrated as the divine ability to bring hope, justice, healing and transformation to the world through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The power is not a display of overwhelming force, but rather God showing up in the vulnerability of a baby in a manger, which ultimately leads to the cross and resurrection.
This Christmas, may you not simply observe the miracle of the Nativity, but be filled with the Holy Spirit that transforms the passive heart into a gracious, gentle power of engaged, courageous action. May his light radiate through you to bring His world-transforming love to every dark place.
Laura Rorem is a member of the ELCA. She writes to honor her husband, Pastor Larry Rorem’s legacy of love, compassion and understanding for all humankind, especially the most vulnerable. “Living and Growing” is a weekly column written by different authors and submitted by local clergy and spiritual leaders.
