When God Changes Our Plans and My Retirement

Pastor’s Column

June 14, 2026

Given that I will be retiring in three weeks and then helping the new pastor out intermittently, I've been reflecting on the spirituality of thinking that we have an understanding of God's will and the sacrifice (or life) we may hope to offer God versus what He really wants from us. Often, they differ. This is a struggle that almost all of us face if we are journeying with the Lord. In fact, it's essential to our journey that our will on occasion be contradicted in favor of God's. Often it won't make sense at the time, but only later. 

Consider the story of Martha and Mary. You know the story: Mary sits and listens, and Martha does the cooking. Martha gets frustrated, and Mary won't move off the couch. Martha thinks she knows God's will because hospitality is essential in Jewish culture. Mary seems to be a useless lay-about in this story. But she knew Jesus. She knew what he wanted. Jesus was about to die, and all he wanted was friends and companionship, not an elaborate meal. 

Sometimes we think we know what God's will is. One year ago, before Father Coleman passed away, we talked, and partially with his discernment, I had decided to keep working because this is what I love to do. Why retire at 70? Priesthood is a sacrifice, especially as we get older, but we also learn to know what's important and what isn't. To me, almost everything a priest does is a work of mercy for Christ, and I love doing that, so I had my sacrifice all ready for Jesus, but …. that was not the sacrifice that Christ wanted for me. One year ago this week, I got my diagnosis (rare, incurable, progressive); and I knew then, going forward, that I could no longer do full-time ministry. It's taken me a year to fully accept that. I've embraced it because it's God's will. It does not make it easier. Many of you can relate.

How many of us have had a sudden change of plans? We had one thing in mind, and God changed the agenda, or I should say, life changed it: health, circumstances, job, a sudden death. It could be anything, great or small: a flight cancellation, a postponed trip, a financial reversal, a job loss. We have plans. God's will lies in another direction of life and death. 

What matters to Jesus in our own walk of faith is not so much the things that we think we need to do for Jesus, but the choices Jesus really wants from us.  For example, we always want to be healthy so we can serve the Lord better, when what Jesus may need from us at this moment is to accept our infirmity graciously. We may have made great plans for the day and are ready to give all our time for the Lord when an unexpected setback (or “opportunity”) arrives that upsets the applecart. Jesus is glorified by our acceptance of His will rather than being overly attached to our own will.  Martha and Mary still have so much to teach us today, because we are in fact here on earth as Christians ultimately to do the Lord’s will, and not just our own.

Father Gary