Salt and Light: How Latin American Youth Are Reclaiming the Ancient Call to Discipleship

In the hills of Rionegro, Colombia, a new generation of Episcopalians is rediscovering what it means to be the salt of the earth. At the Evento de Jóvenes Episcopales, or EJE26, young believers from across Latin America gathered not merely for fellowship, but to reclaim the ancient apostolic mandate of discipleship. The gathering’s theme, “Somos luz, somos sal, juventudes Episcopales,” echoes Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, where He calls His followers to be both light and salt in a world desperate for meaning.

The spiritual formation at EJE26 focused on forgiveness, leadership, and active church participation—virtues that have sustained the Church since Pentecost. “We are being sent out to fulfill God’s will,” said Jonathan Lone, a delegate from Honduras, reflecting the missional heart of the event. This is not a retreat from the world but a commissioning into it. Kelin Mendez, also from Honduras, described her experience as a soul-deep awakening: “My heart opened more during this retreat, and I’ve come to understand that my soul is a missionary soul.”

In an age of spiritual drift, these young Episcopalians are choosing the narrow path. Their daily rhythm of worship and study, bookended by prayer, mirrors the ancient monastic tradition. Colombia Bishop Pastor Elias Garcia Cardenas, who addressed the gathering, understands that the future of the Church depends not on programs but on transformed lives. EJE26 is a sign that the Spirit is still moving—calling a new generation to be salt that does not lose its savor, and light that shines in the darkness.