720. Nevertheless it is not to be supposed that the Lord closes heaven to those who come unworthily, this He does to no man, even to the end of his life in the world, but man closes heaven to himself, and this he does by the rejection of faith and by evil of life. And yet man is held constantly in a state of possible repentance and conversion, for the Lord is constantly present and urging to be received; for He says:
I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear My voice and open, I will come in and will sup with him and he with Me (Rev. 3:20).
Therefore the fault is in the man himself, who does not open the door. It is otherwise after death; then heaven is shut and cannot be opened to those who have continued even to the end of life to come to the holy supper unworthily; for the interiors of their minds are then fixed and determined.
