Here we are celebrating the great victory of God in our lives. God is making those in sadness to lift up their heads and to rejoice in happiness in the Lord.

But why such great joy in the hearts of the people?  In order that you may understand that, I am going to give a retrospective. Pay attention, we have to say Hosanna to God.

The truth is that the people already spent 70 years in suffering.

In the book of Jeremiah, chapter 52, we see the worst tragedy that could happen to the people of God. Perhaps you have already lived your tragedies and today you are celebrating the victory of God. In the year 598, BC Nebuchadezzer had his troops in Jerusalem and surrounding the city. He devastated the city! Devastated the City of God! The Jewish people simply sang: “The Lord is my shepherd,” but they were mistaken and God wanted to give them a lesson, not punish them, but give to them a lesson.

That suffering of these people, this suffering that is yours too. At times we say, Why is this happening to me? Who does not ask this sometimes? After 70 years, What happened? The Persians came and destroyed Nebuchadezzer and the King was led to return the Israelites to their lands, A Pagan King! This was truly a miracle after 70 years of suffering, but God promised them that they would return and they returned!

When God says something, He says it! We do not follow a God who lies! I say to you that we may experience suffering, but we have a God that tells us that He is going to take away this suffering, and He is going to do it! Do not be discouraged, because that which He said, has been spoken! Saying that this is the God of victories, is saying that these victories will happen, although we may have to wait, but He will do it!

Psalm 137 says this, How can we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land? And they hung up their instruments. How in this Psalm that we heard today, they picked up their instruments because they returned to their land. Perhaps you are in a situation of sadness so great that you cannot bring yourself to sing. I say to you that you will take your guitar and you will return to sing because God will save you!

When the people of Israel were leaving Babylonia they said, This appears to us as a dream! We are returning to our land because we really have a God that cares for us. In whatever moment, God is going to change your luck! Therefore, you cannot lose hope in God. Therefore, you cannot be discouraged, in whatever moment all will change. Hope in the Lord. Be firm and valiant because in whatever moment all will change. If He changed the lives of so many, then He is not going to change yours? Because God sees all his children the same way.

Our God is the God of surprise, it can be that nothing happens for 70 years and then it may change now.  Unhappily we have to pass through the valley of tears. Passing through the valley of tears, your luck will change! If on the path you were crying, If today you are walking in tears and it appears that there is no solution, you should know that you will return with much joy in your heart! I repeat, Do not lose hope in the Lord, do not be discouraged, remain firm in Jesus!

Look what it says in verse 2 of Psalm 126 “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.” (NIV) It was 70 years of suffering but today they are singing a song of triumph. Therefore, I say to you not to be discouraged, because you too are going to sing a song of triumph.

Today, I say to you, The Word comes from the sky and is among us. Do not fear! In more or less than 2 weeks, we will celebrate His birth, but in whatever moment; He will return to bring us to Heaven to the place that he prepared for us.

Who did not celebrate, will celebrate too! We will celebrate the victory, because Jesus continues among us with his power and glory! The Lord is our victory, and those that are with him will always celebrate with Him.

Fr. José Augusto at Hosana Brasil at Canção Nova Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil.

Translated from Spanish