Misa this week, Sacred Heart, Pray for Syria.

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth,
who have observed his law;
seek justice, seek humility…(from the Prophet Zephaniah, first reading)

Compañeros y Compañeras!

We had an amazing week last week. The Sacred Heart Community Service Teach-In and Training was amazing. Thank you Poncho and your staff for providing the safe space for gathering the community and providing training on building capacity in the community!  Following the Teach-In and Training many folks attended the community walk to the Federal Building. Hundreds of folks showed up to give voice to a growing movement of concern around issues of civil rights, inclusion, and the treatment of and due process for immigrants. The Women's March the following day reminded us that no matter how difficult and challenging things may seem, there is always room for inspiration and hope. Women (and men) of all sectors of society walked together, lifting up the multiple concerns of the people. What a great week!

Last week at our Misa we discussed how we *as a group* might want to move forward to contribute to this growing Movement. One of the ideas that caught my attention was around the question of leadership. This week's misa will look at the question of taking on the task of raising leaders - not only in the Grupo de Solidaridad, but within our community. How might we raise young leaders to run for student government? How might we encourage high school and college students to form new groups of service and advocacy? How might we recruit people to run for political office? 

I'd like for us to think through some questions this week (especially in light of the readings which coincidentally complement the theme*): What does it mean to be a leader? How can I be a mentor? How do I identify someone with talent and leadership potential? How can I nourish that talent? If someone taps my shoulder to take on a leadership role, am I ready to respond, "Yes!"?

Our next Misa de Solidaridad will take place THIS SUNDAY, January 29 at 9 am at the Newman Center, Corner of San Carlos and 10th. All are welcome and new-comers are especially welcome. 

...God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,
and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,
and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,
those who count for nothing,
to reduce to nothing those who are something,
so that no human being might boast before God.
It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus,
who became for us wisdom from God,
as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,
so that, as it is written,
"Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord." (from 1Cor1, second reading)

PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR THIS WEEK

Let us pray for Syrian refugees.  They have lost their homeland and have been rejected by so many countries. We have an obligation to support the Syrian refugees because our foreign policy has certainly contributed to the social and political instability that have led to a mass exodus from Syria. This week we anticipate a refugee policy that will sharply reduce the number of refugees from entering the county and curtailing immigration from other "terror prone" nations. 

Let us pray for Mexican immigrants and Mexico.  This week we anticipate an executive order that will direct funds to construct a wall between our nation and Mexico. The politics around the building of a wall has been troubling for Mexican immigrants as well as the people of Mexico.

P. Jon

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Bill Roth, 408-876-0111
Linkedin: http://linkd.in/1cNYoDt

PGP: http://bit.ly/2iwqf2I

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Bill Roth, 408-876-0111
Linkedin: http://linkd.in/1cNYoDt

PGP: http://bit.ly/2iwqf2I

Misa De Solidaridad, December 4th.

Dear Compañeras and Compañeros,

Our next Misa de Solidaridad will be at 9 am at the Newman Center on 10th and San Carlos. Our Second Sunday of Advent will be a reflection on our relationship with the planet.

Our species evolved over millions of years by living in harmony with our planet and other species. Up until the Industrial Revolution the West - by and large - still lived in relative balance with the resources and environment, but new economic forces combined with technological breakthroughs in industrial and agricultural production and the introduction of the American practice of treating corporations as “people,” our relationship with the planet and other species shifted from a practice of sustainability, long term gain, investment and stewardship to immediate consumption, consumerism, privatization.  The population began to rise and large tracts of untouched land disappeared: trees were felled, cities buried meadows and farmlands under roads, parking lots and suburban housing.

Pope Francis has made the case that economic degradation and ecological degradation are not separate phenomenon, but are in fact tied together.  In light of our idea of solidarity and the Pope’s teachings on the economy and ecology, will discuss how we, (as individuals and collectively), might incorporate into our work a plan of solidarity with the planet itself.

Hasta domingo!

Padre Jon

Misa de Solidaridad and El Congreso del Pueblo November 20

Compañeras y Compañeras!

This coming weekend we have a very important Misa and Congreso.  The theme of the Misa is, “Vision, Hope and Resistance.”  We will look at this theme in the context of the feast of Christ the King.  In preparation for our gathering, let us ask ourselves, what was Christ’s vision for humanity? How did Christ offer hope in a time of oppression?  How did Christ express resistance to injustice? If the President Elect follows through on his campaign promises, how will we live our faith out under the threat of mass deportation,  the construction of a massive wall, and the registration of Muslims?

Following the Misa we will have the first Congreso del Pueblo. This Congreso is open to all people and so far we have confirmations from Jewish and Muslim participants and several community organizing groups plus others who are interested in connecting with others who share our values of justice, inclusion and solidarity.  The congreso will be bilingual and will begin with a short faith reflection from the Jewish and Muslim participants and they will share their experience.  We will then move into a three-part discussion looking at Vision of what we want our country to look like in terms of inclusion, participation and justice; followed by a discussion on what values and principles are most important to us; and conclude with a discussion on the kind of public policies would move us toward the vision that we believe in and would hold up our values and principles.  We will then consider a modest proposal for how the Congreso process might be used as a way to connect other social movements together throughout the Bay Area and beyond. We will conclude by 12:30 in time for those who might wish to join a public rally at 1:30 pm at City Hall.  We will also have a Congreso de Niños y Adolescentes happening at the same time.

I hope to see you THIS SUNDAY

Misa de Solidaridad at 9 am, Newman Center, Corner of 10th and San Carlos
Congreso del Pueblo at 10:30 am, Newman Center, Corner of 10th and San Carlos

Fr. Jon
https://fatherjonhomilies.blogspot.com

Please VOTE today, PACT Viewing Party, and Next Mass is Nov 20th

Compañeras and Compañeros-

Election Day is here!  Be sure to VOTE!  and if you cannot vote, call someone to VOTE.  There is a PACT Viewing Party at St Paul’s United Methodist Church on the corner of 10th and San Salvador. PACT has been planning that event for a while and rather than us creating our own event, I think it would be a good sign of unity to attend the PACT viewing party.

Our next Misa de Solidaridad will be November 20th at 9 am at the Newman Center, the corner of 10th and San Carlos. (I’ll be on a retreat next weekend and so we will NOT have mass on November 13). Please pass the word!

Thank you to Yadira Guerrero for facilitating our time at the Liturgy of the Word and Teresa Castellanos for the amazing Community Forum last Sunday.

As I stated at the introduction to the Liturgy of the Word, we are in a powerful time where we must find a way to be united and stay united.  Our faith heritage teaches us that we are the Body of Christ and we have an obligation to help maintain that Body.  Eucharistic theologians suggest that the “Body of Christ” is more than a “membership” in an institution as one would have membership at Costco or the Elks Club and it is certainly more than a denominational declaration. Contemporary theologians suggest that the "Body of Christ” is so powerful, so “mystical” that the concept of “belonging” to the Body of Christ is a concept that is continually pushing the limits of inclusion. Some even suggest that the  "Body of Christ” is the entire cosmos. What a powerful image that is!  Ponder this concept: the whole universe: humanity, our planet, solar system, galaxy and time itself is woven together.  We are all connected.  We are a part of the fabric of creation…and because we are woven together, the task of the Church is to promote connections...and to heal divisions.

By the time we gather together on November 20th, we will have elected a new president and city and county measured and state propositions will have passed or failed. Some will be happy, others not.  I believe our task to continue the powerful work of making connections with others who are not like ourselves. As our movement grows, we will find more and more connections with people from other areas of the city, whose life experience is different than our own, whose language is not the same as our language.

Our Misa de Solidaridad is but one humble attempt to bring all of us together at one table. To “encounter” or “encontrar” the sacred Other in our Sister and Brother. When we share our hearts with each other at our Scripture sharing and then break the bread at Eucharist, the wall that divides us dissolves and we finally “see” each other.  It is my hope that we can offer other faith communities that are struggling to heal from the divisiveness and rancor of electoral politics, will find in our community a model of listening, sharing and healing.

So when you go to the polls today, remember that when you VOTE, you are not simply voting for a candidate nor are you voting for an issue.  When you vote, take the stories of your sister who is homeless and suffering with untreated mental illness.  Take the story of your undocumented immigrant brother who works the swing shift and then goes off to a day job with only 4 hours of sleep and never sees his children until Sunday.  Take the story of the young couple with their 3 small children living in a van along San Antonio Street. VOTE.

¡Hasta pronto!

Fr Jon