Time and again I am bowled over by an insight from a penitent who has come to confession to experience the loving-kindness of our God in the Sacrament of Penance. One penitent recently told me:
"When I committed these sins, I did not sense that God was punishing me. In fact, things seemed to go on as they had before. But over time, there was a change. In me; not in Him. I felt estranged from Him. I felt lonely for Him. I felt absent from Him, even though I knew He was not absent from me. I started to yearn for Him and I desired to make my way back to Him."
Ah! This penitent reminded me of St. Augustine's similar insight:
"Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace."
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