Divine Foretaste and The Eucharist

Synopsis     Judges 7:9-18     6/18/2018

At God’s direction, Gideon reconnoitered the Midianite camp, getting close enough to hear the Midianite soldiers talk. The soldiers had heard that a mighty warrior had emerged in Israel and assembled a formidable army. The whole Midianite army was afraid.

Because of this, Gideon knew with certainty that God had delivered the Midianite army into his power. He prepared his army of three-hundred men with instructions on how to engage. And then, he led them down to the edge of the Midianite camp.

A Word in Season

Sometimes God gives a foretaste of victory. He doesn’t have to. But He did this for Gideon in order for Gideon’s experience to have its most profound and transformative effect. Imagine how differently the story would read, and Gideon’s experience would have been, if God had not directed Gideon to the enemy camp.

Gideon most likely would have obeyed God’s instructions. And the outcome of the battle would most likely have been exactly the same. Gideon would have separated his men according to God’s plan. He would have given the signal and shouted and blown the trumpet. The enemy soldiers would have panicked and fled. The enemy would have been routed.

But Gideon would have never known that the victory was determined before he made his assault. He would have never known that the enemy was actually far more afraid of him than he was of them. He would not have known how God had worked behind the scenes to assure his victory. Even in victory, he would have been tempted to interpret his success as either a matter of luck or his skill. As a result, God’s role in his success would have been unclear.

And so, without this foretaste, his understanding of his own experience would have been limited.

The Transfiguration

It makes me wonder how differently the apostles would have experienced Jesus Christ had He not revealed Himself on the Mount of Transfiguration. Without this foretaste of his utter divinity, the rest of the gospels would be poorer and subject to misinterpretation. Even if everything else about Jesus’ life and ministry with His disciples had been exactly the same, who He was and the certainty of His success would have been interpreted differently.

As so, without this foretaste, the Apostle’s understanding of their own experience would have been limited.

The Eucharist As a Divine Foretaste

Eucharist literally translated means “thanksgiving”. We celebrate the mass and participate in the Eucharist – the Thanksgiving. It is given as a foretaste of heaven. The beatific vision. And whatever else heaven might mean, it’s interesting to think that without this foretaste, heaven itself might not be fully accessible.

And so, without this foretaste, my understanding of my own experience of heaven might actually be limited.

I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:51