‘Ción is short for “Bendición” and it’s often used as a greeting in Latino/a families towards someone we honor and respect that has gone before us (like an aunt, uncle, grandparent, parent, or even neighbor) that we are asking for their blessing upon seeing/greeting them. We say it like this,

“Bendición or ‘Ción (term we use for them)”

and they say “que Dios te bendiga” back.

It almost feels like a Mary at Jesus’ feet moment of greeting, respect, honor, but also a posture of

“I’m humbly looking to receive or learn something of you.”

The empire, injustice, uniformed christian culture, and the kingdom of darkness does not wants us posture ourselves humbly towards others, especially to learn and listen, so we rebuke that way of being by embracing the practice of listening and learning from others anyway - all while also boldly sharing our own stories as a way to testify, impact those around us, and be the ones to share our own narrative in the face of a time that wants to re-tell our stories from a place of oppression and dehumanization.

This is how we reclaim our collective dignity and remember our stories.

By greeting one another with a posture of listening and learning.

this is after all what discipleship is, learning.

In the case of this podcast, we are using the idea and term of ‘Cion’ as as name to encourage this community of listeners to walk in a posture of humility and honor others by choosing to listen and learn from them - whether it’s the podcast guest or who we are discussing on the podcast that day. It’s also the word in Spanish as a welcoming practice to even step out of your comfort zone to listen and learn, especially from people that you don’t have proximity to or have been taught to not listen to,

because difference is not a threat but an invitation to humility, curiosity, and empathy.

Let’s reclaim our stories and remember Whose Image we are made in, together.