We often have a negative view of sacrifice, especially of the ancient practice of animal sacrifice described in the Bible. On the surface it seems like senseless killing. Why would God be pleased by the death of any creature? And what good reason could there be for wasting the food of impoverished people? It occurred to me recently that we should give the ancients a little more credit. Nothing was ever wasted. After the official ritual, when the smoke went up as an offering to God, the meat was eaten. It fed the priests, freeing them from the daily tasks of securing food so that they could tend to the spiritual welfare of the people. And very often it was made available to anyone who needed it, so that the poor could receive a good meal.
What is our sacrifice to God? When we say something is our cross to bear, we usually mean it is a heavy, miserable burden that we can't escape. Maybe we should look instead for the places where our offerings feed other people's bodies and spirits. Our true cross creates more life and joy in this world.
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