I think there is a choice possible to us at any moment, as long as we live. But there is no sacrifice. There is a choice, and the rest falls away. Second choice does not exist. Beware of those who talk about sacrifice.
— Muriel Rukeyser
She is mostly correct, but her warning needs clarification. Sacrifice can mean two different things. On one hand, for some people, the option not taken is seen as a loss and labeled a sacrifice. This is a shallow sacrifice at best because there still exists the option chosen. On the other hand, there is the choice one makes in regards for another person. This choice can be labeled a sacrifice or a gift; it all depends on freedom and the will of the one who chooses. Love calls it a gift.
Instead of referring to Christ’s death on The Cross as a sacrifice, maybe we should refer to it more often as the Gift of The Cross.