This morning I came across a favorite quote from Dorothy Sayers.

“It is curious that people who are filled with horrified indignation whenever a cat kills a sparrow can hear that story of the killing of God told Sunday after Sunday and not experience any shock at all.”

Sayers words are paired with some words from Matthew 27

“After flogging Jesus, he (Pilate) handed him over to be crucified…they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head.  They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked hi…they spat on him and took the reed and struck him on the head…they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him.  They led him away to crucify him.”

Could it be that people no longer want to hear that story of the killing of God?  Could it be that pastors are reluctant to tell us the truth about ourselves, our lostness and straying from God, and the story of the lengths to which Jesus, the one named “God Saves,” goes to fulfill his name.  Could it be that the story is just too unsavory, too much of a downer or even embarrassing?