Mar 29, 2026
What does Hosanna really mean?
On Palm Sunday, we shout “Hosanna in the highest”—but this ancient
word is not a cheer of celebration. It is a cry for help: “Save us,
we pray.”
In this sermon, we explore how that cry Is answered in impossibly
to imagine ways, from Psalm 118 to the entry of Jesus into
Jerusalem in Gospel of Matthew to our own day. In a time marked by
fear, division, and loss of trust, “Hosanna” becomes our own
prayer.
Drawing on voices as diverse as John Calvin, Mikhail Bulgakov, and
Maya Angelou, this sermon reflects on:
• Our need for help in a fractured world
• The loss of faith in one another
• God’s unexpected way of saving us—not through power, but through
love
Holy Week reveals a surprising truth: God’s rescue comes not by
force, but through the suffering, love, and self-giving of
Christ.
As the world trembles, we join the ancient cry:
Hosanna — Help us,
God.
The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young
Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, CA 2G8
Palm Sunday (Year A) 11a.m. Eucharist
Sunday March 29th 2026
Matthew 21:1-11
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Matthew 26:14-27:66