Foresight

Jesus said, “For which of you intending to build a tower does not first sit down and estimate the cost to see whether he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:28).

            When I was growing up, I was told hindsight is valuable but foresight is even more so. With hindsight you learn from your past mistakes and hopefully do not repeat them. Foresight is the ability to anticipate what is going to happen before it does and so be prepared for it. Although experience can help people develop foresight, it also requires the ability to use that experience in the right way.

            In this passage from Luke, Jesus teaches that someone intending to build a tower should determine if there is sufficient money to complete the project in order to avoid public ridicule. By doing so, he indicates the importance of foresight in the life of a prospective Disciple.

            Throughout the Bible, the importance of foresight was a common theme. In the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament, Prophets anticipated the dangers associated with Israel’s infidelity to God and warned the people of dire consequences. Despite the rejection of their message and the ominous events which followed later generations learned valuable lessons from the foresight of these individuals. Within Luke’s Gospel, when the Angel told Mary about her future role as the mother of Jesus her acceptance of it likely came from the foresight that it was God’s plan. John the Baptist anticipated and prepared people for the arrival of Christ and the coming Kingdom of God through his Ministry of Preaching and Baptism. Jesus foresaw the future challenges faced by his Disciples when they participated in the Mission work he started. Their message regarding Divine Providence became more credible when they carried only a few possessions and accepted hospitality. The demands of Discipleship potentially demanded the sacrifice of all things which included one’s life. Discipleship also required constant watchfulness and the recognition that all authority was a call to service. With the challenges of sharing in his Ministry clearly explained, Christ now revealed the value of foresight. A decision was necessary. It required a great deal of thought for the cost of Discipleship was high. Once committed a Disciple had no easy means of escape. Foresight was an essential quality for all Disciples.

            Catholics and other people of faith understand the value of foresight. Since they believe their existence in the next life is influenced by their decisions in this one, the ability to anticipate the future and prepare for it is important. In addition, since their Religious Traditions are rooted in Divine Revelation and generations of collective reflection upon it, the Wisdom which exists within them enables Believers to place current situations into perspective. Foresight requires the ability to distinguish between the trivial and significant in daily experience and Faith assists this process.

            Consider the recent Covid 19 Pandemic. Most Religious Traditions have faced plagues in the past. Their responses to such events have often included caring for the sick but also looking for the reason why they happened. When the plague is perceived as a type of Divine punishment, sinners must be identified and penalized. At a time when racial and Religious tensions are rising, scapegoats are easily found. As recent events have shown, this tendency still exists today. Some groups were accused of causing or spreading the virus without any evidence. Hindsight instructs believers about the terrible consequences of taking this approach: suspicions which lead to a lack of cooperation and makes the situation worse. Foresight lets the faithful see other opportunities: recognizing everyone as members of God’s family leads to collaboration which keeps everyone safer and shortens the crisis.

            As Jesus revealed in this passage, he wanted his disciples to be forward looking. The past provides the experiences from which to learn through the benefit of hindsight. The present offers the challenges to which those lessons can be applied. The future supplies opportunities to create a better world if acquired knowledge is used in the right way to anticipate and prepare for them. Like the disciples, we have a big task ahead of us in responding to the problems the world faces like climate change or food insecurity. By using hindsight to learn lessons from the recent Covid 19 Pandemic and foresight to anticipate the future, Catholics can contribute to help promote the Common Good.

September 4, 2022