“We are very apt to wish we had been born in the days of Christ, and in this way we excuse our misconduct, when conscience reproaches us.  We say, that had we had the advantage of being with Christ, we should have had stronger motives, stronger restraints against sin.

“I answer, that so far from our sinful habits being reformed by the presence of Christ, the chance is, that those same habits would have hindered us from recognizing Him.  We should not have known He was present; and if He had even told us who He was, we should not have believed Him.  Nay, had we seen His miracles (incredible as it may seem), even they would not have made any lasting impression on us.  Without going into this subject, consider only the possibility of Christ being close to us, even though He did no miracle, and our not knowing it; yet I believe this literally would have been the case with most men ....

“We think heaven must be a place of happiness to us, if we do but get there; but the great probability is, if we can judge by what goes on here below, that a bad man, if brought to heaven, would not know He was in heaven .... He would see nothing wonderful there.”

-- Blessed John Henry Newman,

Parochial and Plain Sermons,

Volume 4, Sermon 16