Wisdom 7:25. "For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her."

Yesterday I wrote about the reality of the spiritual realm, and this description of Wisdom from Solomon further enforces that.

Wisdom, as described in this book, can be thought of as the Holy Spirit, the breath of God, and Solomon says nothing defiled gains entrance to her. That is precisely how I explain to my PREP classes why we can't get into Heaven with any sin on our souls. God is perfect, so nothing imperfect can be in His presence, any imperfection would compromise perfection itself. It is not that God won't allow sinners into Heaven, or can't tolerate being in their presence, it is rather that there is a reality to the perfection of Heaven. Heaven is God's presence, so it, too must be perfect, and it would not be if sin of any kind was to remain there, just like a wedding dress is not perfect when stained, even in the smallest of ways.

When we want to be with God in Heaven, yet see the state of our souls in the light of His glory and truth, the smallest of stains becomes the only thing we can see. I recently read a quote from a saint, I can't remember which one, to the effect that the smallest of sins would burn unbearably in God's presence. So it is we who put ourselves in Purgatory, knowing that we are not worthy to be in His presence until the stain of our sin is removed from us. Those whose sin is exposed in God's light yet still do not acknowledge it as sin are the people who choose Hell. They are like the wedding guest who came in improper attire; they think that their sin is acceptable. They are insulting God without even acknowledging it, and they refuse to see it and ask for His mercy.

So Purgatory and Hell are both actually gifts from our all-loving God. Purgatory allows us to have our sin washed from our souls so we can gain entrance to Heaven, while Hell lets those who choose it hold onto their sin, the sin they are sure is not sin and refuse to relinquish. It will be cold comfort for them in Hell, but that is what they have chosen, and this chosen defilement keeps them from accepting Purgatory and entering Heaven.