Plan B

         There's always a Plan B, isn't there? Whatever we have planned, something else may happen.

         The world has been experiencing this phenomenon recently... our plans have been changing rapidly due to the COVID-19 reality. Travel plans, meeting plans, church plans... sometimes, we need to implement a Plan B.

         As I've been working with parish leadership this week, we've recognised that even Plan B can't be considered a certainty. Sometimes we need a Plan C. Or D. Or Q!

         The reality is that life is uncertain. And when things beyond our control toss our lives into flux, we get reminded of that in a hurry.

         The current global health pandemic is merely reminding us of our human-ness: we are not in charge. We are not in control. We never were: we just liked to pretend that way.

         How interesting that we, as society and as individuals, can forget that we are not in control. It was just a few short weeks ago in our Ash Wednesday liturgies that we were reminded of the ever-changing and temporary nature of this life; and how in Lent we are challenged to give something up to remind us that at some point we will need to give all things up.

         Even in the midst of Lent, in the journey of remembering, we forget.

We forget that we do not control all things. We forget that we are not meant to be isolated. We forget that we are to be compassionate. We forget that we are meant to be continually adaptive to the world and people around us. (Blessed are the flexible; for they shall not get bent out of shape).

         While worship may look very different to us today due to the impacts of COVID-19 and our intentional and wisdom-based responses to it, may we be open to the Plan B: for God is there. And God is in control.

         And that's okay.