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O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 118:1-2; 19-29 NRSV)
Last year was a year of Jubilee according to the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. It is during the years of jubilee that the holy doors of St. Peter's Basilica are opened, and all those who walk through them are forgiven of their sins. It is done more to invite those who think they cannot be forgiven their sins to do this symbolic thing representing what Christ has done through His sacrifice on the cross. There's more to the act, but for our understanding this passage I shared that with you. Our daughter, Nellie, was in Rome in 2000 when the pope did the same thing and she and her college roommate walked through the doors. The psalmist was sharing what he believed needed to be said; namely, the Lord is good and we should give thanks to the Lord, and that we as the people of God, should say, "Open to us the gates of righteousness so that we may enter in and give thanks to the Lord." Years and years later, as Christ entered Jerusalem, He was entering the gates of the city to bring that righteousness to all who would claim it. He was the "cornerstone" rejected by the builders; this is the basis of what we say when we say, "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it;" but there's more, "Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!" Exactly why the Lord came, and all the more so that we still say, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord." And there is no end to that steadfast love.
PRAYER: Loving Lord, help me to open the doors of my heart to You; and let me enter the doors of Your heart and love to be forgiven and saved from my sin. I desire a relationship with You now and forever. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
