As our faults become more manifest in a relationship, others’ affection for us often does lessen. So, Fr. Rolheiser says, we do what comes naturally; we hide our faults and failures and try to reveal our strengths and achievements instead. This then carries over into our prayer, church, and even our most intimate relations with God. The same is true in our church lives: Invariably, when we most need God and the support of the community of faith, we stay away from church and community. This is manifest everywhere, sadly so. I know so many people, especially young people, who stop going to church because something is wrong in their lives. They stop going to church precisely until such a time when all on their own, they can somehow rectify the problem, and then they go back to church and present their “unsullied” selves, now seemingly more at rights with holiness and goodness. Generally, this expresses itself this way: “Given how I’m living, I would be a hypocrite if I went to church! I’m too honest and humble to go to church right now.” That may sound noble and humble, but it betrays a false understanding of God and ultimately does us no favors. For we can easily, if we are open to hearing, God say to us, “You must not know me very well if you think that a detailed account of your faults would in any way lessen the tenderness I feel towards you.” In fact, we might learn a lesson from Adam and Eve on this score. After they sinned, they too did what comes naturally; they hid and tried to camouflage their shame by their own efforts at clothing themselves. But their shame remained until God found them and gave them real clothing with which to cover their guilt. We do not know God very well when we fear coming into God’s presence, replete with all that is within us, weaknesses and strengths. Nothing we do can ever lessen God’s tenderness toward us.