Fill in the blanks

Fill in the blanks:

__________ is greater than God.

__________ is more evil than the devil.

If you eat __________, you will die.

Answer? Nothing.

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Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of the Holy Week. Let this week remind us of our nothingness, and make us realize that without God, we are nothing. All our virtues and so-called achievements, in which we take so much pride, mean nothing at all if we forget that all these are made possible by the grace of our loving, compassionate and merciful God.

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In today’s Gospel (Mk. 15, 1-39), we hear how the Son of God experienced nothingness, even helplessness, in the hands of human beings who thought they were greater and holier than God Himself. Are we guilty of playing God, or thinking of ourselves greater “gods” than the other people around us? This Holy Week let us all take the road of humility: “Have mercy on me, O God, I am a sinner…”

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Nothing and no one is greater than God. When we take ourselves and our “achievements” too seriously, we are playing God. When we take our problems too seriously, and worry about so many things and about other people in our life, we are also playing God. Please remember that God is greater than all our achievements, problems, sins and failures.

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The Holy Week is a good time for us to literally fill in the blanks in our lives. The first step is to accept the emptiness within us which only God can fill. Let us take time to invite Him to fill us with His Holy Spirit so we can see the vanity, the emptiness, the frailty of the lives we are living, without Him. It is time to move beyond being “selfie,” or “groupie,” and be “Godie.”

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Let this Holy Week remind us of our mortality. We all will go, sooner or later. What legacy will we leave behind? What do we tell God when He asks us what we have done or have not done? Let us fill in the blanks now so that we will not fail in the final exam.

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Speaking of blanks, let us make sure that we are not using blank bullets and firing on blank targets as we go through life. What a big letdown it will be if we realize in the end that we spent all our energy, ammunition and provisions on useless, selfish, fleeting pursuits and endeavors.

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Let the Holy Week remind us of the reality of the Cross in our lives. There is no perfect happiness, and there are no perfect relationships in this world. There will always be problems, irritants, conflicts and even crises as we go on. There will always be, so to speak, blanks in our lives. No matter how hard we try, there will never be a full, straight line as we journey on. That only happens when we are gone, and the journey is done.

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Let the Holy Week remind us, too, that death and the Cross lead to the resurrection. There is hope, there is meaning, there is purpose in everything that is happening in our lives. Let us be confident that there is a final destination, a final resolution, a final conclusion. It is precisely the belief in the resurrection that empowers us to keep hoping, keep believing, and keep loving, no matter what, in the here and now.

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Speaking of hope, Fr. Willy Villegas, SVD, and Cesar Liza, XVD, are going through much physical suffering and pain because of their illness. Let us pray for them. But let us also draw inspiration from them for their courage, and for their offering of their suffering and pain.

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For those who are going through any trial, sickness, or persecution, let us take courage from Jesus who says, “I am troubled now,” but goes on to say, “Father, glorify Your name.” What a beautiful transition, what a liberating passage from suffering to offering! We can offer whatever trial, sickness, or persecution to the Father who assures us that He is with us through it all. Let us not magnify our sufferings. Let us magnify the Lord in our sufferings!

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Brother Stephen (Felino) Nuguid, SVD, has gone home to the Father at the age of 83. This simple and dedicated SVD religious brother from Capas, Tarlac, and Sta. Rita, Pampanga, was not exceptionally talented, but he showed us the power and the beauty of a life anchored on prayer and hard work. Friendly and low-key, and always holding the rosary—that’s how he filled in the blanks in his journey.

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Inviting you to join the recollection of the Lord’s Flock Charismatic Community on Holy Thursday (April 2), 9 a.m.-12 noon at the Lord’s Flock Heritage Workshop and Spiritual Formation Center, Catanduanes St. corner Del Monte Ave., Quezon City. For details, please call 376-5780 or log on to lordsflock_manila@yahoo.com.

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Someone texted me how she reconciled with her dear friend in high school, with whom she had a deep misunderstanding that made them estranged for years. Finally, she swallowed her pride, reached out to her friend, and filled in the blanks. Now she is all smiles, and told me: “It did not make me a lesser person when I made the first move, and it really set me free and made me feel good deep inside.” Yes, fill in the blanks of your life with prayer, humility, kindness, compassion and mercy.

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, help me fill in the blanks now so that I will not fail in the final exam. Amen.