"Making sacrifices" is a traditional part of our Catholic spirituality: we "give up" things for Lent, we fast for special intentions, we make special efforts to go to Mass on weekdays. The opening lines from Sirach today remind us of something that Jesus would have approved of: apart from these "sacrifices", simply living according to God's commandments is already a great sacrifice.

This is not to say that there is no room for sacrifices in our lives. Peter represents all the Apostles when he reminds Jesus of the sacrifices which they have made in order to follow him: "We have given up everything to follow you". Jesus accepts the validity and generosity of their sacrifice and promises them a reward beyond all their hopes and dreams.

Sirach goes on to affirm that works of charity are not the equivalent of material things like fine flour offered in the Temple. Again we can reflect on how much Jesus would have approved of this teaching. As St Paul reminds us, the greatest thing of all is charity.