In what ways do our presumptions and expectations cloud our vision? 

Fr. Seraphim Solof opens Luke 24 for the story of Jesus who appears to his disciples on the road to Emmaus.  The disciples had just witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus; the very one they had expected to redeem Israel is now presumed dead. Unable at first to recognize the risen Jesus, their eyes were opened when the Scriptures were opened to them, culminating in the blessing and the breaking of bread. 

Fr. Seraphim describes, "The problem is, the God and the Jesus who we create and animate to do our bidding, whether that means instantly giving us everything we ask for in prayer, or perhaps smiting the people who don't see things the way we do, they are invariably a false god and a false messiah. They're idols of our own making, they're really just reflections of ourselves." Like the disciples, our only hope in recognizing the Lord is to open our eyes through the opening of Scripture which extends the invitation to table fellowship.