First reading Acts 5:27-33
We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit
When the officials had brought the apostles in to face the Sanhedrin, the high priest demanded an explanation. ‘We gave you a formal warning’ he said ‘not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and seem determined to fix the guilt of this man’s death on us.’ In reply Peter and the apostles said, ‘Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’
This so infuriated them that they wanted to put them to death.
Responsorial Psalm 33(34):2,9,17-20
This poor man called and the Lord heard him.
I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He is happy who seeks refuge in him.
The Lord turns his eyes to the just
and his ears to their appeal.
They call and the Lord hears
and rescues them in all their distress.
The Lord is close to the broken-hearted;
those whose spirit is crushed he will save.
Many are the trials of the just man
but from them all the Lord will rescue him.
Gospel John 3:31-36
The Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything to him
John the Baptist said to his disciples:
‘He who comes from above is above all others;
he who is born of the earth is earthly himself
and speaks in an earthly way.
He who comes from heaven
bears witness to the things he has seen and heard,
even if his testimony is not accepted;
though all who do accept his testimony
are attesting the truthfulness of God,
since he whom God has sent
speaks God’s own words:
God gives him the Spirit without reserve.
The Father loves the Son
and has entrusted everything to him.
Anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,
but anyone who refuses to believe in the Son will never see life:
the anger of God stays on him.’
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The call to believe
In the first reading, Peter and the apostles are brought before the Jewish authorities and questioned for preaching about Jesus. Their response is “We must obey God rather than men,” expressing their courage to be faithful to the truth. No threat or pressure can silence them. Their obedience flows from a relationship of deep faith in the risen Jesus, not obligation.
In the Gospel, we are reminded why faith in Jesus matters. Jesus comes “from above,” speaking the words of God and filled with the Spirit without measure. To believe in Him calls for our response: choosing Him again and again by aligning our lives with His teachings and example. This choice is reflected in the daily decisions we make, the love we extend to others, and the values that shape our lives. It influences our priorities, urging us to focus on what truly matters, and transforms our attitudes towards ourselves and those around us. Thus, each moment becomes an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to Him through our actions and words. True faith in Jesus cannot remain hidden.
Reflective question:
Do I truly believe in Jesus as the One “from above,” and how does that shape my daily decisions?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
