We enter into the second Sunday of Lent remembering that we are on a journey of repentance and reconciliation. It is an opportunity to deepen our relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. A common goal during Lent is to experience Holy in ways that we might ordinarily miss.

We have all of the tools necessary to recall an already deep relationship with a loving and compassionate God. When we pray through our senses, we enliven memories and experiences that keep us connected to our Creator and the beloved that God has created.

This week we will focus on the sense of hearing. Sounds can move us to instant memory recall or propel us to another place. One of my favorite sounds is the ocean. The rhythmic cascade of the tide coming in and going out has a way of resetting something inside me. Listening to the waves puts me “in sync”.

And so when I read Matthew 13:1-9, 18-26, I can almost hear what is happening behind Jesus when verse 1 tells us that Jesus sat down by the sea and he taught the people parables. I can hear the sea, just by thinking about it.

I can put myself in the crowd listening to Jesus tell stories in ways that they could understand (well, at least have context and awareness of the illustrations he used even if the message didn’t register right away.)