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

When God created human beings, he enjoined them to work on created things. —Hildegard of Bingen, Book of Life’s Merits

It can be easy for writers and readers to romanticize the agrarian life. We love to write and read about the transcendent moments of watching the bees on a sunflower or how a sun-ripened tomato tastes exactly like the love of God without experiencing the sting of the bee or the stain of the tomato juice on a clean white t-shirt. The truth is that rural life is often boring, sweaty, dirty and repetitive. And the more organic your practices, the more creation-honoring approach you employ, the more time it takes. The fewer chemicals you use in a garden, the more weeding you have to do. The more grass-fed you want your livestock to be, the more rotating and moving fences you must do. It is often slow, dirty and repetitive. These are not things I particularly like, but I know they
are things my soul needs. I need the transformation that comes from doing what I want to do in theory but don’t really want to do in practice. I need the spaciousness in my body, mind and soul that repetition creates, a space that allows the Holy Spirit to speak and move in my heart. I need the garden, the chickens and the seasons. I need to pull weeds, move fences, shell peas, wash eggs and can tomatoes. Again and again and again.

The work of rhythm and repetition is good for all of us—together and alone. This wisdom shows up in our Anglican tradition. Part of the work of liturgy is to create this same kind of spaciousness in all of us. This is why it matters that we show up to the familiar work of the table, singing many of the same songs and praying many of the same prayers, time and time again. When we pass the peace again, break the bread again, repent again, wash each other’s feet again, we are doing things that don’t take a lot of analytical thought. The movements and words are as familiar as taking a shower or washing dishes. It is here, while our bodies and minds are distracted, that our hearts have the opportunity to open, creating space for the work of the Holy Spirit.

For REFLECTION:

How can you create spaciousness? Is there a chore or a spiritual practice that might help?

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.