We see a poignant example of this in Luke's gospel in the famous incident where Jesus walks with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. What is curious in this incident is that the disciples, the friends of Jesus, do not recognize him, even though he has been dead and absent for only a day and a half. Why can they not recognize him? Because they are too focused on his former reality. They are so focused on their former image of him, their former understanding of him, and the way he was formerly present to them that now they are not open to seeing him as he walks among them.
— Ronald Rolheiser, The Holy Longing