Inspiration from Connie's Corner

By Connie Reden

The writings in Connies Corner began as her ministry for her parish in 2004. Her monthly Sunday articles were an attempt to share her faith experiences with members of the congregation. If people learn to love one another it is through similar life experiences and challenges. We need to communicate to each other God loves us no matter what we have done or how we have related to others. God is merciful, loving, and compassionate. Connie hopes this message is expressed in her writings.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 9, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496924315

Connie Reden

Connie Reden was an educator and a business woman . She was born in Chicago, Illinois and has lived there all her life. Her first experience with school was at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church and she attended the parish elementary school. Her faith was nourished by her family, the Oblate Sisters of Providence, an all black order of nuns, and the Morgan Park Community.

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Who Do People Think I Am? Who Do You Think I Am?

In Luke 9:18–26 he writes that on a day when Jesus and His helpers were praying, Jesus asked them, Who do people think I am? He was told by His disciples that some thought He was John the Baptist who had come back to life after he had been decapitated, and some thought He was Elijah or a prophet who spoke directly to God. Then Jesus asked them, "Who do you think I am? Peter boldly stated that Jesus was the Christ from God. Jesus praised Peter for his response and gave Peter the name Rock. How many of us know Jesus as the Son of God? Jesus has all the attributes of His Father, and we sometimes forget this. We seem to contract Alzheimer’s when it comes to who He is through words and actions. All the things that God is His Son is. God said, He is the I am that I am, I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the Creator of all things in heaven and earth. I am the Lord who heals you, and I am love."

God further revealed Himself through His Son, Jesus, who had a physical presence on earth. No one has seen God, so He sent His Son for a reality check to finalize the question of who He is. His Son is the new covenant He made with all people of the world. So who do we think Jesus is? If he has the characteristics of His Father, His physical presence replicates everything God is.

We have been told so many times and in so many ways within the Scriptures, yet we all doubt who Jesus is in times of trouble. Jesus said, Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. Though we were not present at the time of Jesus, the Scriptures have given a positive image of who He was as he followed His Father’s mission on earth. Jesus represented the character of His Father on earth just as we say to children that they are just like their parents. Therefore, Jesus spoke for His Father through various descriptions. In the gospel of John He describes Himself as:

1. the bread of life

2. the light of the world

3. the I am

4. the door

5. the good shepherd

6. the resurrection and the life

7. the way, the truth, and the life

8. the real vine

As you read through other books of the Bible there are even more descriptions. As a faith family let us know the power and glory of God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and let us through words and deeds acknowledge who they are so we can renew our relationship with them. The Holy Spirit helps us to remember who they are since we are made in the image of God. Stand up as boldly as Peter who acknowledged Him as the Christ from God. When we come to Jesus, the Holy Spirit will destroy our spiritual Alzheimer.

In the name of the Father who loves me, the Son who lives within me, and the Holy Spirit who empowers me. Amen, Amen, Amen.

It’s a Matter of Faith

Our belief in the Trinity is a matter of faith. We believe that God created the world and everything in it. We believe that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. We believe that the Holy Spirit guides us through every day of our lives, but do we believe that the Trinity is a total part of our lives? Some of you have noticed when I end my writings I write, In the name of the Father who loves me, the Son who lives within me, and the Holy Spirit who empowers me. When I end with the words empowers me, I clinch my fist because I truly believe I am empowered every time I make the Sign of the Cross. It’s a matter of faith. I believe God loves me, the Son resides within me, and that the Holy Spirit takes me to another level of obedience through words from God.

We celebrate the birth of Christ, and we are familiar with the story of His birth, but do we really have a personal understanding of the personal challenges of this story? The pain of childbirth is something most women know. In modern times we are accompanied by a doctor who assists us, yet the pain is unlike anything we could imagine. Mary and Joseph had no doctor. There were no drugs to relieve some of the agony. There was no place sanitized for such an event. Yet she suffered the pain because she and Joseph knew they were participating in a sacred event deemed by God who loved them. This new child was not only their son but also the Son of God. This was a matter of faith.

With guidance from God they raised a son who would change the world. We raise our children sometimes not realizing that we are raising a child of God and He has high expectations for this child. We do not know if the child we birth will change the world. Every person born has a purpose for living in God’s world. We have a child who may become a teacher who shapes the intellect,