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1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.” 19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. 20 This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter. 21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. 22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; 23 the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. 25 LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. 27 The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you. 29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 NRSV)
Welcome to Tuesday, dear Friend! I pray this Tuesday is a terrific one, one filled with joy, peace, strength and everything needed to be a tremendous blessing to God! May our prayers be with Mr. Johnnie Fogle who underwent knee surgery yesterday; may it have gone well and that he recover soon! Prayers for all who have asked prayers of us! Pray for your needs as well.
We talked a bit about parades yesterday and some shared they did not like parades. That's okay. I shared how I liked victory parades and in one case, it took in my counting (life) from 1965 until 2017 for the Houston Astros to have a World Series win for them to have a parade in downtown Houston. I was a long-suffering fan of all the Astros teams through the ages. I remember being in high school and listening faithfully to Hudson and Harrigan, the comedy team on KILT-AM radio and every morning after a Houston Astros game they would, without fail, say, "Well Houston went and made Astros of themselves last night," with the emphasis you know where! But the day finally arrived after many, long and painful nights, when the series ended with the Astors in the W column. One of those nights I went to bed knowing they had lost that game and about 2 in the morning, Nellie stayed up with our daughter, and came and awoke me and said, "They won!" I could not believe it! Oh, the joy that was mine; and more so when that final catch was made and the announcer excitedly said, "The Houston Astros have finally done it; they are World Champions!" Yes, I went outside and yelled at the top of my voice, whatever it was that I yelled, much to the embarrassment of my family and annoyance of my neighbors, including the across-the-street neighbor who was born and raised in NYC. Sorry, not sorry, Hector! It's our turn!
I share that to try to begin to compare the waiting on the part of Israel from the first prophecy, to the psalmist's text today to Isaiah and others, who told of the coming chosen One of God. Today's passage Psalm 118 is a song of celebration, victory, and thanksgiving—a perfect reflection for Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna!” and waving palm branches. The people saw in Him the fulfillment of their hopes, the One who came in the name of the Lord.
This psalm begins and ends with the same line: “O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!” At the heart of Palm Sunday is this enduring truth: God’s love remains through every season—through the joyous procession of Palm Sunday and into the suffering of Good Friday.
When the psalmist speaks of opening the gates of righteousness and binding the festal procession with branches, we can’t help but think of the crowd that welcomed Jesus. But unlike an earthly ruler, Jesus comes in humility, riding on a donkey, heading toward a cross rather than a throne. Still, the cry remains: “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Palm Sunday reminds us to praise Jesus not only for what we hope He will do, but for who He is—God’s steadfast love made flesh. As we wave our palms and sing our hosannas, we are invited to walk with Christ through this holy week, trusting in the light He brings, even as shadows fall.
PRAYER: Faithful God, we give You thanks, for You are good, and Your love endures forever. As we remember the joyous procession of Palm Sunday, help us to receive Jesus not just with our lips, but with our lives. Open the gates of our hearts that the King of glory may enter in. Strengthen us to follow Him through this Holy Week, from celebration to the cross, and finally to the joy of resurrection. In Christ Jesus' strong name we pray, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: Find a quiet moment today to read Psalm 118 aloud and reflect on the steadfast love of God. Ask yourself: How can I welcome Jesus more fully into my life this Holy Week? Consider creating space each day for prayer, Scripture, or a simple act of love in His name. Let your hosanna become a lived expression of devotion.
I love you and I thank God for you!
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
