We are dark at the beginning in believing - hence in the beginning of the Canticle of Canticles it is said, "I am very dark and beautiful," and we look at the soul of an Ethiopian at the beginning - then we are cleansed so that we may become more bright according to the passage. "Who is she who comes up whitened?" [Cant. 8.5] And we become pure white linen. Then when we are worthy to cling to God we are also woven in the waistcloth of God. God does not take us off. He took off the first people, the whole house of Judah and the house of Israel [Jer. 13.11]. It happened because they are no longer needed. For he is no longer girded by them. God girded himself with us in the place of them. For God did not remain naked when he threw off that waistcloth for he wove another waistcloth for himself. The waistcloth is the Church, the one from the pagan nations. Let her know that if God did not spare the first peoples, how much more will he not spare her if she sins [cf. Rom 11.24], if she is not worthy of the hips of God. But he who clings to the Lord is one Spirit with Jesus Christ [cf 1 Cor. 6.17], to whom is the glory and the power for the ages. Amen [1 Pet. 4.11] [Origen, Homilies on Jeremiah 11]
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