How good are you at switching to Plan B?
There is a gentleman I know whose daily routine never varies. An early round of golf in the morning. Perhaps a soda with the boys or the occasional beer, and then home for lunch. Then he walks another 7 miles or so the streets of Clayton while reading a book. Then he goes home, for dinner, CNN and to bed. “Do you ever do anything else.” “No. I don’t need to.” His routine NEVER varies and it works for him. But his nickname is “No Plan B”. And the line spoken in jest by his buddies when snow covers the golf course is that the suicide watch is on for Jim. He has no plan B.
I suspect for many of us, plan B is more the reality. A child gets sick the morning of a planned family outing. You thaw out the meat for dinner to find it has freezer burn. You are ready for the bike ride only to discover a flat tire. When my 93 year old mom pulled out the IV, the nursing staff could not get another line in. That necessitated a trip to the ER. Fortunately, my older brother Dennis was able to change his plans and be with her. I am sure it was not on his agenda. But Plan B it was.
Sometimes Plan B is more than a one moment or day event. One of the joys of CFC this week was seeing one of the gentlemen who had been coming to camp for years now ordained to the priesthood for the Franciscans. He is assigned to a large parish of about 5 thousand. When he was first assigned, he was the third priest on staff. After just 3 months, his order transferred one of the priests, leaving Fr. Bob with his 80 year old compatriot. So, nine months into ordination, Bob became the de-facto acting pastor. Talk about Plan B.
If it is true that Plan B happens quite a bit, then how do you learn to THRIVE as opposed to just SURVIVE when Plan B becomes your reality? Today’s gospel might give us a little insight to this.
Jesus has plan A all mapped out. The twelve are returning for their mission. He has a fire ready to go, some cold brewski’s, and some chairs so they can tell stories of the road and decompress just a bit. But an itinerant band of apostles returning home bring a crowd of the curious and connected from the highways and bi-ways. No problem. Jesus launches into plan B – let’s go to a deserted place by boat, because He needed to help his disciples decompress. But people figure out the direction of the boats and get there ahead of time. Jesus disembarks, and SEAMLESSLY launches into Plan C. He begins to teach them. HOW does he do that without grumbling, without raising the pity party flag?
We are told that: “His heart was moved with pity at the sight of the crowds.” That was first – to let the needs of the world into his world. To let their hunger be the driving force of his life. He values the sheep more than the inconvenience to the shepherd.
Secondly, we are told that he began to TEACH them many things. Not heal, not cure, not drive out demons – but TEACH. And we know the content of that teaching – always the vision of the Kingdom. Always what it looks like when God’ reign takes hold in the heart. That is the vision that always ruled his heart. That is the dream that drove him. So when there was a chance to act on that vision, he does. When you are led by a vision, everything becomes easy.
Third, he recognizes the chance to instruct the twelve (and us, by extension) on the meaning of ministry and service. He knew that he needed to help them understand what their ministry that they just returned from doing was about. So, rather than a lecture, he taught them by example. It is always about service, always about the loving of God’s people.
That is how you shift from Plan A to Plan B, to plan C and D and E so easily. When you keep the vision of the kingdom close to your heart.
So, when Plan B becomes a reality in your world, as it most surely does at some point, take a lesson from Jesus. Pray for that generous heart, the one that recognizes the needs of the others, the opportunity we have to share Jesus, and the chance to put our love for the Lord into action. And trust that this turn is a part of the plan of God. St. Vincent DePaul once said: “The unexpected is always the providence of God acting in your favor.” If we trust, then it does not matter if it is plan A, B or X, Y or Z. It just matters that WE say: Here I am, send me!