Like this Mary, who lived a life of penitence in the desert, go and sit and speak in the desert of human hearts». (religion-online.org)
Ibid.; cf. Tertullian, On Penitence, Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. (religion-online.org)
Gregory takes the case of a parishioner who, let us suppose, having at one point grossly sinned, has now completely desisted from that sin and yet does not wish to go through any semblance of an awkward or embarrassing act of penitence before God for past misdeeds. (religion-online.org)