Wherein I Speak Clearly

Paradox seems to me to be the very basis of religion.
And this is one of the more profound paradoxes of Christianity: to give up everything and follow.

We can't do it. We resist it, because it is too radical; it is so radical that even our priests and pastors nod their heads and agree: yes, it is to radical...perhaps a fairy-tale-like parable...perhaps Jesus was having his little joke.
No.
We have to embrace the paradox.
If we fear the paradox, we never approach. That is why life forces us to it; that is why we know that evil forces us to "rock bottom" before we can climb out of evil. We know it. We all know it; we just think "rock bottom" is a stop on the subway line of "Other People" - not ours.
( "rock bottom" and death are the same phenomenon...the basis of St. Paul's statement that we shall all be changed...the radical change that wrenches us from childhood and acquisition to adulthood of giving and creating: where would we be if God - rather than creating - had decided to spend His time acquiring?!)


Once we give up everything - or everything is taken from us -  and we believe, we shall discover that everything is exactly as it was before, except for one thing: we are no longer slaves to our past, our histories, our belongings; we are enslaved to nothing...not even our images and prophecies of the future!!
We have not lost our belongings and desires; rather, our belongings and desires have lost their power over us.

There is no necessity for any external change. Just as people who think riches are a sign of God's blessing are misled, so also those who think giving all to God requires some sort of external affirmation  - such as a total change of life - are foolish.
The seal of our covenant is within our hearts; we see evidence in our good actions, nothing else. We need not wear haloes and scapulars; we need not go around with begging bowls nor riches.
We shall not all be changed, however, when even our religious leaders secretly - or openly - believe that the profound truths of religion are beyond the grasp of mankind.