From One Unknown to Another

The last few weeks at the parish have seen a gradual reopening and familiar faces coming back every week. That is certainly a blessing and a source of joy for all of us in ministry. It’s like seeing an old friend after a long time away. There’s so much to catch up on and so many stories to tell that there doesn’t seem to be enough time to tell them all.

Certainly when the churches closed at the beginning of the pandemic, there was a sense of the unknown. How long? Days? Weeks? Months? Then as we sat during our stay at home time, the question then became another unknown. When we did open, would everyone come back or would they still stay away? Well, it seems as the weeks have gone by, parish life is trudging along. It’s like a locomotive that is pulling hundreds of cars. It takes awhile to get going. And maybe we as ministers and as parishioners want things to move a little quicker.

But we have to rely on what is known. And that is Jesus is present with us through all of it. He’s there and maybe trying to teach us a lesson in patience and humility at the same time. So let’s focus on Him and maybe forget about the unknowns. After all by their very nature, they cannot be controlled. Let’s let Jesus be our guide along the way.