And he said, “Naked I departed from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away. Just as it pleased the Lord, so has it been done. Blessed be the name of the Lord» (Job 1:21)
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ עָרֹ֨ם יָצָ֜תִי* מִבֶּ֣טֶן אִמִּ֗י וְעָרֹם֙ אָשׁ֣וּב שָׁ֔מָה יְהוָ֣ה נָתַ֔ן וַיהוָ֖ה לָקָ֑ח יְהִ֛י שֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה מְבֹרָֽךְ׃
Αὐτὸς γυμνὸς ἐξῆλθον ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου, γυμνὸς καὶ ἀπελεύσομαι ἐκεῖ· ὁ κύριος ἔδωκεν, ὁ κύριος ἀφείλατο· ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ ἔδοξεν, οὕτως καὶ ἐγένετο· εἴη τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου εὐλογημένον.
et dixit: Nudus egressus sum de utero matris meæ, et nudus revertar illuc: Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit: sicut Domino placuit, ita factum est: sit nomen Domini benedictum.
In my entire life so far I have accumulated many things, resources, ideas about myself, opinions about myself, about others, knowledge, etc. All of this can disappear instantly, but I will remain. Then the fundamental truth will be revealed that everything I have appropriated is a gift. The nakedness of my existence calls for simplicity and gratitude, silence and adoration. Job blessed the Name of the Lord without feigned piety, though he suffered such great losses. I came into the world naked. My first clothes were nappies. The last and eternal garment covering my nakedness in death will not be a cold sheet in the mortuary, but the smile of God when He says to me: Enter into My joy.
