4 Seems he to pray against her, or for her, who says, “Fill their faces with shame”? It seems to be an adversary, it seems an enemy. Hear what follows, and see whether a friend can offer this prayer. “Fill,” says he, “their faces with shame, and they shall seek Your Name, O Lord.” Did he hate them whose faces he desired to be filled with shame? See how he loves them whom he would have seek the Name of the Lord. Does he love only, or hate only? Or does he both hate, and love?
Yea, he both hates, and loves. He hates what is yours, he loves you. What is, “He hates what is yours, he loves you”? He hates what you have made, he loves what God has made. For what are your own things but sins? And what are you but what God made you, a man after His Own image and likeness? Thou dost neglect what you were made, love what you have made. Thou dost love your own works without you, dost neglect the work of God within you. Deservedly do you go away, deservedly fall off, yea, deservedly even from your own self depart; deservedly hear the words, “A spirit that goes and returns not.” Hear rather Him That calls and says, “Turn to Me, and I will turn to you.” For God does not really turn away, and turn again; Abiding the Same He rebukes, Unchangeable He rebukes.
He has turned away, in that you have turned yourself away. You have fallen from Him, He has not fallen away from you. Hear Him then saying to you, “Turn to Me, and I will turn to you.” For this is, “I turn unto you, in that you turn unto Me.” He follows on the back of him that flies, He enlightens the face of him that returns. For whither will you fly in flying from God? Whither will you fly in flying from Him who is contained in no place, and is nowhere absent? He That delivers him that turns to him, punishes him that turns away. You have a Judge by flying; have a Father by returning.
Source: Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (New Advent)