Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday at Graceview. I am sure we sang the word “Hosanna” more than 50 times. It was in three of our four hymns, the choir’s introit and anthem, and the special music shared by one of our youngest, a wonderful girl named Isabel.

It was a number of years ago that I learned (through the music of Andrew Peterson, who continue to mentor me in my faith, even though I’ve never met him) that Hosanna is a shout of praise, but also a cry for help. It means, “save, I pray.”

I love that duality – that our shout of praise can also be a cry for help. That God invites both – our worship and our need. That the crowd that celebrated him, also beseeched him.

As we begin our final week of the journey to the cross and then the resurrection, may we remember that we love Jesus, we revere him King of Kings, but we also need him as Saviour.

It is the deepest cry of the human soul – salvation and reconciliation with our Creator.