In a world bent on control and quick to shift blame, obeying God rather than men sounds a bold call to freedom and faithful witness.
This morning, I found myself lingering over Acts of the Apostles 5:27-33. Peter and the Apostles were arrested for bearing witness to Christ. Standing before the Sanhedrin, they heard the high priest’s rebuke: “We gave you strict orders did we not, to stop teaching in that name? Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us” (Acts 5:28).
The scene seems painfully familiar. Two ancient wounds, two persistent soul tendencies, emerge with blinding clarity: the need to control, and the fear of responsibility.
The Human Need for Control vs. the Freedom to Obey
“We gave you strict orders…” There it is—the drumbeat of fallen humanity.
We crave control. We long to give orders, dictate how others should live, and protect our interests, image, and little kingdoms. If we were gods of our own making, we would build worlds where every law is bent to our comfort and convenience.
Beneath politics and relationships, even beneath the tender ties of family, often lies a hidden desire: Make others like me. Make life dance to my tune.
In marriage, how often do we hear of “incompatibilities” even when many of those are manageable differences. At the root is the clash of wills—the refusal to bend because control feels safer than surrender. Even when the Spirit nudges our hearts toward the divine path, our default response is often subtle rebellion.
Yet the apostles teach another way. Faced with earthly authority, they did not plot revenge or cloak themselves in fear. They simply said: “We must obey God rather than men.”
Christian witness begins where control ends. It is the bold, trembling surrender of one’s own will to the will of the Father. It is the choice to live not by command and manipulation but by truth and love, no matter the cost.

Bearing Witness
“You want to bring this man’s blood upon us…” Blame is the natural child of control.
We fear being seen as guilty, wrong, or weak. It’s hard to accept we failed. We scramble to excuse ourselves, defend our goodness, and pass the burden elsewhere.
Even when we admit failure, it often comes laced with justifications, subtle defenses of our wounded pride.
Yet the apostles embrace the accusation with divine boldness. Christ’s blood is upon them—not as condemnation, but as salvation. They are witnesses not merely to events, but to a love that absorbs blame and transforms it into redemption.
This is what Christian witness demands: Not a flawless life, but a heart willing to be misunderstood, to carry the scandal of the Cross.
The witnesses’ strength comes not from human courage but from the lavish presence of the Holy Spirit and witness dwelling within. As John’s Gospel proclaims, the Spirit is not rationed but given in abundance: “The one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit” (John 3:34).
The Courage of Witnessing
The Spirit breathes courage where there was once only fear. The Spirit grants utterance when human words falter. Indeed, the Spirit ignites in frail hearts a fire that even death cannot quench.
Resurrection life is to “obey God rather than men.” It is to bear witness to Christ with fearless joy, and to trust that every accusation borne for Christ’s sake becomes a jewel in the crown of eternal life.
As I ponder these mysteries, my heart turns to the Church. The cardinals, preparing for the sacred work of choosing a new shepherd, need our prayers now more than ever. May the Holy Spirit and witness guide them. May the pope they choose stand not in fear but in the freedom of those who obey God rather than people.
And may we, wherever we are planted, rise as witnesses too living for the burning truth we have seen and heard. “The one who comes from above is above all” (John 3:31).
On this Labor Day, Lord, grant us the grace to follow your will above all. May we bear fearless witness in work and word and live with the joy of the Resurrection. Amen.
[Readings, Thursday Easter Week 2: Acts 5:27-33; John 3:31-36]