Sacrifice. It is painful. It is loss. There is something that was once ours, but no longer is. Sometimes the sacrifice is time, and at others it is possessions. Sacrifice is a central theme in forgiveness as we see in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The old way of sacrifices allowed for the people of Israel to show their heart's desire, contrition, worship, and thanksgiving. Jesus offers himself up as the lamb of God who slain to take away the sins of the world. One of the readings this morning from Morning Prayer was Mark 10:1-31 and included the passage of the Rich Young Man. He calls Jesus good and is seeking what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus, "looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."

When I think about this passage and compare it to the widow from Mark's gospel who put in two copper coins to the offering the difference is immense. It says, "Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44)

One person found sacrifice difficult, while the other made sacrifice their way of life. When we walk in the way of the cross, sacrifice is unavoidable, but the reward for that sacrifice is true treasure in heaven, where neither moth, nor rust, nor stock market can destroy.