A young woman named Sally made the mistake of registering for one of those multimillion-dollar giveaway offers online instead of mailing in her form. In doing so, she started receiving daily emails from the publisher that offered not only magazine subscriptions but also life insurance and many other things not related to publishing at all. Often there were warnings that she could lose her eligibility if she did not act quickly on one offer or another. (By the way, the odds of winning the $1,000,000 per year for life were listed at 1 in 1,300,000,000.)

            Now, as great as $1,000,000 a year might be, it pales in comparison to Jesus’ gift offered to everyone. In a remarkable conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Eternal life with God through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for the world.

            Today we celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and give thanks for all that Jesus did for us on that cross.

Great love

            In the 2014 Winter Olympics, twin sisters Lanny and Tracy Barnes were both competing for a spot on the U.S. Women’s Biathlon Team. Lanny, who had done better recently but who fell ill during the Olympic trials, did not make the team, while sister Tracy did qualify. But Tracy voluntarily gave up her spot so Lanny could compete. Great love between sisters!

            Life is filled with similar sacrifices made out of love: A mother donates a kid

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