Do you know the etymology of the word sacrifice? It’s Latin deriving from sacra, which means “holy, sacred,” and facere, the verb “to make.” So sacrifice is the act of making something sacred.

I think that our biggest sins often stem from trying to do everything on our own. In fact, I believe that faith, boiled down to its very essence, is the deep knowledge that we can’t do any of this life on our own which then leads to the profound trust in something beyond ourselves. For us, that’s God. That’s the Body of Christ.

Luke's Jesus is concerned for the salvation of people in this life, in their present circumstances.

To plant gardens and to build families even in scary, uncertain times of exile is to embody hope. Not just with your thoughts and prayers, but with your actions, with your lives.