The WORD in other words (2006) by Father Atilano Corcuera SVD – Divine Word Seminary of Tagaytay
Saturday 4th Week of Lent
Introduction
We often say, “You missed half of your life!” when someone fails to share in an overwhelming experience. Or when food is so delicious, we say, “Taste it and you’ll forget your name!” These expressions capture the sense of being utterly captivated.
In today’s Gospel, the guards sent to arrest Jesus returned empty-handed. When asked why, they replied: “Never before has anyone spoken like this one” (John 7:46). Hardened men, tasked with violence, were overwhelmed by His words. They forgot their mission, struck instead by the power of His voice.
The Word That Captivates
The season of Lent invites us to heighten our contact with the Word of God. Listening to it in the liturgy, reading it in Scripture, loving it, and putting it into practice brings healing to our hearts, minds, and bodies. It breathes new life into our souls.
The Pharisees and priests missed this experience. Their endless arguments left them spiritually dry. As one writer put it: “Jesus is not someone about whom to argue; He is someone to know, love, and enjoy.”
Bread Alone or the Word of Life
If we live by bread alone, we miss not just half of life, but the whole of it. Jesus Himself declared: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). His Word is not mere speech; it is life, joy, and salvation.
Conclusion
The guards at the temple tasted the power of Jesus’ Word and were overwhelmed. Lent calls us to do the same — to let His Word captivate us, heal us, and transform us.
“Lord Jesus, let me be overwhelmed by Your Word. May I not miss the fullness of life You offer, but live by every word that comes from You.”
