Have you ever referred to yourself as a little white dog? I like to refer to my soul as a little white dog, because that's the way the Lord represented it to me, with the intention that the lesson would be shared with you.
Why would our Master represent the soul as a little white dog?
Because He is so in love with us, that's why.
What?
Because Jesus loves us more than we can ever possibly fathom.
Imagine being granted a moment of incredible favor and the Master allowed you to feel that your soul belongs to Him completely.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, even though it is difficult not to because Catholicism is so rich, astounding, limitless, faultless, timeless, and miraculous.
If only people would be more like little white dogs.
Jesus reminds us in this lesson that it is His desire that we always be glad to see Him, always welcome Him, and always to want to be with Him, because Jesus' greatest longing is that we allow Him to love us completely. He also wants us to love Him in return.
The small, loyal dog knows that it is so much more wonderful to love while being loved back.
Do you accept the Master's love completely? Have you accepted His magnificent offer of salvation and sanctification? Do you follow His commands, and make use of His sacraments?
How much effort do you put forth to remain pure? The little dog in the lesson is white to symbolize purity, because Jesus delights in pure souls and wants us to remain pure. He doesn't ask of us the impossible.
Make it a point to be purified regularly by His Precious Blood during sacramental confessions, and follow His commandments to the letter.
The Master rewards love, fidelity, perseverance, purity, and courage with so many delightful graces.
Perhaps He will allow you to experience in a very profound way your soul's union with His.
Anything is possible with God, and He loves to delight us when we welcome Him into our hearts.
ONCE UPON A TIME
Once upon a time, a small white dog was asked by its Master to surrender its life to Him completely.
Then the Lord decreed that it's pledge of fidelity was irrevocable. After that, the Lord asked the little dog to do big things for Him, but the dog found itself challenged because it is so very, very little. But the Master assured the little white dog that on its own, it can do nothing. That filled it with relief, because the little dog was assured of the Master's assistance.
However, the little white dog also became conflicted, because it has an enemy that seeks to destroy all good. The enemy, who absolutely hates little white dogs, tried to convince the dog that it shouldn't listen to its Master! He also deceived other people into mistreating the dog for him.
That poor little white dog! The stress from two opposing forces caused it to begin chasing its very own tail!
While it ran in small circles over and over and over again, it could be heard saying to itself all out of breath, "I promised the Lord, but I just cannot do this. I will ask Him to choose some other little dog better suited to the task. No, I made a promise and now I must keep it. Alone I can do nothing. I know that my Master will help me accomplish all that He asks of me." And so the little white dog went around and around and around, ever more tired than before, never catching up to its tail and never catching it, either.
The Master took pity upon His little treasure and was so grateful for the little white dog's perseverance and loyalty all through the chase. Eventually He encouraged the little dog to give up chasing its tail, and now it rests peacefully and blissfully at the feet of its Master.
The beginning. (laugh)
Sweet Lord, how can a soul ever conceive the thought that You would withhold Yourself from it? For the Master and Lover of little white dogs and pure souls denies nothing to those willing to ask, seek, and knock.
God is so in love with us all. +
© Joseph Karl Publishing/Michele Bondi Bottesi
