Episcopal Relief & Development’s 2025 LENTEN Meditation Journey . . . A COMMONPLACE Lent

Abba Moses asks Abba Silvanus, “Can a man lay a new foundation every day?” The old man said, “If he works hard, he can lay a new foundation at
every moment.” —Silvanus

Our diocesan camp has a small market-size teaching farm. We offer programs during camps and retreat sessions to grow produce and flowers for our kitchen and sell them at the local Farmers’ Market and through our community-support agriculture (CSA) shares plan. Interestingly, our two busiest seasons—summer camp and the farm harvest—happen concurrently. This means that both our farm and camp teams begin to struggle around the same time in the summer. Suddenly, there are groans from the counselors when asked to sing “Pharoah, Pharoah” one more time or to make yet another friendship bracelet. The farm hands begin to smile less at market and are a little less careful when packing the CSA bags. It is a mid-season slump brought on by heat, exhaustion and repetition. And yet, the job requires that each time the counselors are asked to sing, they do so as if it is their favorite song of all time, with joy and enthusiasm. And the job requires the farm hands to smile and chat with every stranger as if they are their new best friend.

For counselors and farm hands, this is what it looks like to serve Christ in all persons. But just as we cannot travel Lent with love and faithfulness through our own power, neither can they travel the summer alone. Only through the light of Christ within us and within those walking with us can we lay a new foundation of love and mercy moment after moment. Only when we remember that God has given us helpers—the presence of the Holy Spirit and each other—can we find the resources we need to walk farther than we could ever walk or sing or smile on our own.

For REFLECTION:

Who or what helps you build a foundation when you are struggling to serve Christ in all persons? 

Click here to read the introduction to the 2025 Lenten Meditation “A Commonplace Lent.”

The Lenten Meditations prepared by Episcopal Relief & Development invite readers to deepen their spiritual practice during the season of Lent, the time of preparation leading to Easter. Our 2025 meditations explore the idea of “A Commonplace Lent.” This concept reflects Episcopal Relief & Development’s tagline: “Working Together for Lasting Change.” We share in common the work of advancing lasting change in communities impacted by injustice, poverty, disaster and climate change.

We also share in common spiritual practices that strengthen our faith—prayer, worship, love, grace, service and so much more. The author explores another meaning of common in the  meditations: finding God in the common and ordinary as well as in the extraordinary mountain-top moments. Each day begins with wisdom from desert mothers and fathers, monastics and other spiritual leaders who offer insight into our common path of faithful discipleship and service. Each meditation concludes with a question for deeper reflection.

Episcopal Relief & Development is the compassionate response of The Episcopal Church to human suffering in the world. Hearing God’s call to seek and serve Christ in all persons and to respect the dignity of every human being, Episcopal Relief & Development serves to bring together the generosity of Episcopalians and others with the needs of the world.

This Lenten Meditation Journey is provided courtesy of Episcopal Relief & Development and was authored by Jerusalem Jackson Greer, co-executive director and agrarian minister for the Procter Center, an Episcopal farm, camp and retreat center in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio. As former manager of evangelism and discipleship for The Episcopal Church under Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, she co-founded the Good News Garden movement and oversaw Way of Love and Evangelism initiatives for the wider church.