Isn’t she outside? (A Nessie the Wonder Dog Story)

Last updated on: April 11, 2021 at 11:04 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

Isn’t she outside? (A Nessie the Wonder Dog Story) 2021-04-11T23:04:51-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Hope is inevitably coming. What joy that will be!

Nessie the Wonder Dog likes having all her people present. This is possible since two have moved out, though she remembers. Nothing is better for the Wonder Dog than when the missing people return for a visit. Hope and I can only agree!

If Hope is gone, the central figure in her life, then she becomes restless. Any sound outside, and our urban-by-choice neighborhood has many sounds, and Nessie will run to her window. She stands at attention waiting, knowing that Hope will return. Hope always comes back. If I call Hope on speaker phone, Nessie goes a bit mad, she assumes that Hope is in the garden and goes to the window to look, but Hope is not there. She is speaking, but not present.

So it goes with all of us and our blessed hope.

We know that the fulfillment of every hope is coming, but not yet. We hear of that hope in every Sunday liturgy. We run and look. Is this the day?

Yes.

Every Sunday is an image of that final Day when hope will be seen and our rational faith will transform to certainty.

We are not like Nessie, cannot be, in one respect. The gift of reason has left us able to doubt that all will be well. We have thought we have heard wisdom calling on the street, gone to look, and seen nothing. Our hope is disappointed. Adulthood might be described as learning loss: some people will not come this Christmas, will not come until the end of time. We hope, we have reason for faith, that Wisdom exists. The Lord Jesus will return and we will dwell with Wisdom, imaged in the Mother of God, forever in His beloved Kingdom.

That is so good, so joyous, that even our good reasons are not enough to fully satisfy us. The Wonder Dog, being just a beast, can only assume Hope will come home. We know enough to have niggling doubts, have seen enough to get what might happen. What of the greater hope? We look. We wait. Can that sound, that happening out there, be a sign of Kingdom Come?

Yes.

The signs are there. They are always there. How do we know? Jesus is coming soon. If you can read this, He will come to you in one hundred years, probably many fewer. These are the end of days for us all. We will catch a breath, hear a trumpet sound, and then come to the timeless Second Coming of Christ.

A few will live in the end of all days. They will hear hopeful sounds, Wisdom’s voice, and the end will come for all time for all people in all places. We will go to a home where everyone is always there and there will no separation. Time will be no more. The joy of worship is the hope that this is that Day or in hope of our own smaller day being good. Meet us Wisdom, blessed Hope, now and at the hour of our death.

Hope is coming, believe it or not. What joy that is.

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

April 10, 2021

The Baby Cheeps, the Old Cat, and the Courage of a Mom

Next Post

April 12, 2021 Get Sheep or Goats and Live in a City

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was the name of the sea that Moses parted?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Red Sea Dead Sea Sea of Galilee Jordan River

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »