Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to (the) poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions…It is easier for a camel to pass through (the) eye of (a) needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.

Ouch… from the moment we first heard those words, we have been looking for a loophole. I mean, seriously, is Jesus telling us to give away everything and follow him. It has to be a hyperbole, right? Oh my gosh… what if it is literal? What if wealth really is an obstacle to eternal life? What if God is truly calling us to give up everything we own? What if Mother Teresa and St. Francis had it right all along? Where does that leave the rest of us? It leaves us shuffling and looking for a loophole – like these: Continue reading →