By the well in Kabankalan

In the Philippines, youth ministers from all over the Philippines came to a city called Kabankalan, which was not far (well, depending on your perspective) from the place where the living Word was first proclaimed and earthly bread was transformed into Christ's body. They seemed tired from their journey in youth ministry and sat down "by the well". It was about noontime of the year, having held towards the end of May.

For the above verses, I thank John the Evangelist for the words in his chapter 4, verses 5-6. We youth ministers came from all regional coordinations of Catholic youth ministry in the Philippines, upon the invitation of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Youth, for the meeting of the National Youth Coordinating Council. Most Rev. Patricio Buzon, SDB, DD, together with his jolly and committed youth ministers, opened the doors of his diocese to us. The 28th to the 31st of May 2013 were days marked by great simplicity: in location (Kabankalan is not a big urban city in the likes of Manila, Cebu or even Bacolod, but it is, like Sychar that is sanctified by the Patriarchs Jacob and Joseph, made holy by the martyrdom of unsung heroes during the dictatorship), in arrangements (we were in simple rooms, served simple but filling meals), even in process (there was no mind-boggling input or complicated activity). We youth ministers came together and reminded ourselves, allowed ourselves to be reminded, of what is basic in this beautiful and challenging ministry: to be evangelized that we may be evangelizing.

The experience gave us the opportunity to come together to draw water, but it also allowed us to listen to our Lord say to us, "Give me a drink of water."

We received the life-giving water of the Lord in our fellowship (both in fun times and in difficult times--and truly, there was a "natural calamity" where those affected were consoled by the communion of others), in the challenge of "professionalizing" and "corporate-izing" youth ministry, in assessing the current situation of our young people, and in those moments of prayer which became sources of who we are and how we should serve.

But we too have fed the Lord. We fed Him through our humble efforts of listening, through our openness to be confronted with how more youth ministry can become not so much an effective strategy but a shining, attractive manifestation of Jesus' love today, through our giving of ourselves in our worship in silence or in song.

It is my prayer that each youth minister all over this archipelago may receive openly and courageously the water that Jesus is, allow ourselves to become springs of His life-giving presence to the Church and her young people. Then can we hope for our young people exclaim, "We believe now, not because of what you said, but because we ourselves have heard Him, and we know that he really is the Savior of the world!" [cf. Jn 4:42]