It is the union of our naked being with the naked being of God that anchors our whole life. Apart from such union, there is bound to be something slightly contrived and artificial about all our behavior. Even our piety, even our virtues, will be slightly strained and unconvincing. But if we are enabled by God to approach him with the depth of ourselves in the mystery of his own transcendence, then our lives will become natural and well ordered. This is why the author of The Cloud is convinced that