Sentence:  The great ultimate ends of religion have served as magnificent beacon lights that lured people toward them with an almost irresistible force , mobilizing energies and inducing <WSD>sacrifices</WSD> ; for example , the Crusades , mission efforts , just wars . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  the act of losing or surrendering something as a penalty for a mistake or fault or failure to perform etc.