Bullying and threats had no effect on the apostles. They were so filled and empowered with the Spirit that they could only continue to proclaim the Risen Lord. They were without fear and they had a burning certainty about the message that they were proclaiming. Their only reply was that they must obey God rather than humans. This does not mean that we can do whatever we want for religious reasons which do not place us above civil laws. But too often we are easily cowed into submission by public opinion, pressure from others, society, or authority. God is sovereign and in matters of faith and morality we must obey God and our conscience. Let us not be so afraid of ridicule, rejection, persecution, or disapproval.

If we have ever seen two people trying to communicate in completely different languages we can begin to understand how difficult it is for us to understand the ways of God. In John's Gospel, Jesus is presented as the only one who has ever come from above - the realm of God. Although he tries to teach us spiritual things, we hear and understand his words in earthly ways. That is why we so often misunderstand and distort the words of the Lord. His words have far deeper meaning than we can even imagine so we should never insist that we have the whole truth. Understanding can only come from letting go of our own opinions and allowing the Spirit to lead us deeper into the mystery and beauty of God's love.