The Father William Most Collection
Purgatory and God's Holiness
[Published electronically for use in classes taught by Fr. Most and for private theological study.]
A lost Horizon appeared before the dazzled eyes of Isaiah the prophet in the inaugural vision which made him a prophet. He saw the seraphim before the Throne incessantly crying "Holy, Holy, Holy." This vision so impressed Isaiah that thereafter in his writings his most usual; term for God was 'Holy'.
St. Paul (1Cor:13:12) said we are to see God face to face. God has no face, and the soul has no eyes, but the Divinity could join itself directly to the human soul without even an image in between for no image could represent Him as He is.
St. Paul also told the Romans in 8:17 that we are "fellow heirs with Christ provided that we suffer with Him so we also may be glorified with Him". Elsewhere in Romans as well as in Colossians and Ephesians, filled in on his picture of members of Christ who need to be like him in all things, especially in suffering, to restore the damage to the order of holiness wrought by sin.
When a soul comes before God, even when it perceives Him only dimly, it knows that He is "the refiner's fire". Who can stand when He appears? Therefore, if it sees itself as lacking anything it gladly goes to be refined by the fire. Saying "thanks to the holiness-goodness of the Father who has provided this means of becoming able to join ourselves to Him."
