Daily Catholic Lectio. Thu, 16 April 2026. Witness and Faith

Daily Catholic Lectio
Thu, 16 April 2026
Second Week of Easter
Acts 5:27–33. John 3:31–36

Witness and Faith

Today’s Word of God places before us two closely connected realities: witness and faith. The apostles stand before the council, questioned, threatened, and judged. At the same time, in the Gospel, John the Baptist speaks about Jesus as the one who comes “from above,” bearing witness to heavenly things. Yet, in both readings, we see the same tension: witness is given, but faith is not always received.

Peter and the apostles are clear and fearless. They say, “We must obey God rather than men.” This is not rebellion. It is not arrogance. It is a deep conviction born from experience. They are not speaking theories; they are speaking what they have seen: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Their witness is rooted in encounter.

And yet, their testimony is rejected.

This is not new. Even Jesus, who comes from above, whose words are truth itself, is not believed by many. John says, “He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony.” This is one of the quiet tragedies of the Gospel: truth can be spoken clearly, and still be refused.

So we begin to understand something important: witness and faith do not automatically go together. Witness can be offered; faith must be received.

The purpose of witness is to awaken faith. But faith cannot be forced. It is a response of the heart.

Today, we live in a world where faith is often weakening. Many people look at religion with suspicion. They see divisions, conflicts, even violence done in the name of God. And so they begin to think: “Perhaps the world would be better without religion.”

At the same time, there is another problem. Sometimes faith is presented in a way that feels imposed—forced ideas, rigid language, pressure instead of invitation. When faith is imposed, it no longer attracts; it repels.

So we find ourselves in a difficult space: a world that doubts, and a Church that sometimes struggles to witness convincingly.

In such a context, today’s readings ask us a very honest question: If people did not accept the witness of Jesus Himself, will they accept ours? This question can discourage us. It can even lead us to silence. We may feel: “What is the use? Who will listen?” But the apostles show us another way.

They do not measure their mission by success. They measure it by fidelity. They do not ask, “Will they believe?” They ask, “Have we been faithful to what we have seen?” This is the heart of Christian witness. To witness is not to convince everyone. To witness is to remain true.

Peter’s words, “We must obey God rather than men,” must also be understood carefully. History shows us that these words can be misused. Wars have been fought, violence justified, and ideologies imposed in the name of “obedience to God.”

So what does true obedience to God mean? It does not mean imposing our will. It means aligning our life with truth, love, and humility.

The invitation of today is simple, yet profound: to ask for the grace to remain steadfast in faith. Faith is not something we produce. It is something we receive and nurture. There will be moments of doubt, moments of silence, moments when God seems distant. But even then, we are called to remain. Because faith grows not only in clarity, but also in perseverance.

Let us pray today for two gifts: First, the courage to witness—not with pride, but with humility. Second, the grace to believe—not only when it is easy, but especially when it is difficult.

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

A ‘Yesni Prays’ Initiative