Welcome to Stories Seldom Heard. I especially would like to welcome the members of the Fijian communities of the San Francisco Bay Area and those who attended the preaching conference in Palm Beach, Florida. Since Easter we have had the joy of rereading parts of the “Acts of the Apostles” and some of the Letters of Peter and Timothy. Soon the first reading for Mass will return to one of the Old Testament books. But before we leave the “Acts of the Apostles,” it would be good to hear the story of Lydia: the purple seller.
Many of the first Christians were not wealthy people or well known in their communities, but the rich and powerful were not excluded. Discipleship has more to do with open hearts and minds than it does with labels, categories or external characteristics. From the very beginning, as it is now, people from all walks of life followed Jesus even though it often required tough choices. The "Acts of the Apostles" has numerous stories of the trials, beatings and jail terms that the disciples not only endured but rejoiced in. Yet, these sufferings did not discourage the newcomers to the faith. In the face of danger, converts like Lydia, made bold their convictions. Their faith was founded on, formed by and flourished because of the passion and blood of those who had gone before them.
Paul's travels in the "Acts" took him many places even to the Roman province of Macedonia in Europe. Philippi where the story of Lydia takes place was an important city on the trade route that linked Europe with Asia. It was a city where many of the entrepreneurs of their day gathered. There were artisans of all kinds and merchants selling their goods. It was a bustling city not only for trading of merchandise, but also a vibrant city for the exchange of new ideas. If people wanted to get their businesses mainstreamed or their ideas heard, they could not shun the great cities. Therefore, it is not surprising to find Paul in Philippi preaching. However, Paul did not make this decision on his own.
One night in a dream, "a Macedonian appeared and appealed to him in these words, 'Come across to Macedonia and help us.'" (Acts 16:10) In response Paul sails to Troas and from there makes his way to Philippi. Since there were no phone books or internet connections in those days, word of mouth was the way information circulated. A visit to the city’s or village’s bazaar and marketplace or a synagogue was the best way to find out what was happening. However, even though Philippi was a flourishing city, it did not have a synagogue. So when Paul arrives he heads for the marketplace. Sure enough, he hears rumors of Sabbath gatherings of Jewish women. So on the Sabbath Paul goes to "the river outside the gates" of the city (Philippi) where he finds the women at prayer. There Paul sits with them and preaches.
As we begin listening to the story of Lydia, I would like to comment on Luke's theology. Luke often mentions women in both his gospel and Acts. He is not unkind to women, but it seems he most often presents them as those who support the ministry of their male Christian companions. Luke seems to believe that, rather than holding leadership positions themselves, women should work behind the scenes. In contrast to their brothers in Christ Luke usually portrays women as those who offer hospitality and/or financial support for the mission. The women, then, often fade into the background of the main story.
The story of Lydia has suffered from some of these same attitudes and techniques. In fact, her story probably would never have survived except that it supports two of the main reasons why Luke wrote Acts. First, her story helps Luke show how the Spirit influenced and guided the development of the early Christian communities. In fact, Lydia is honored with the title of being the first European convert. Second, Lydia is a solid member of society. Even though she is a Christian, she is recognized as a responsible citizen. Luke was writing Acts to convert gentiles. He was also trying to convince the Roman authorities that Christianity would not threaten their rule. "There was no guarantee in Luke's time that the church as he knew it would endure without the support from the ruling class….Early Christian writers such as Luke attempted to convince people of power and high social standing that Christianity was a viable new cult, describing conversions of such people and portraying Christianity as non-threatening to the political establishment." (1) With this knowledge as background, Luke briefly tells the story of Lydia and uses it for his own purpose.
Now, let’s get back to the river outside the gates of Philippi. In the gathering, there is a businesswoman, Lydia, who is from the town of Thyatira, in the region of Lydia, which is in western Asia Minor. The region is famous for its excellent dyed goods. I am sure you can hear the connection. Lydia is not only a well-established businesswoman, but she is also identified as being in "the purple dye trade". Purple dye was more expensive than other dyes. The dye comes from the veins of a particular kind of shellfish and from antiquity purple is the color of royalty. Therefore, clothes and other purple items were more expensive. In other words, Lydia deals with commodities that are associated with the wealthy. Kings, queens and prominent local leaders wore clothing made with purple dye. Table cloths and hangings for the walls or windows were also dyed purple. Thus, the color purple became a visual reminder and sign of the owner's authority and power.
Lydia not only sells to the wealthy, but is a woman of means herself. She owns a house in Philippi. She has servants. We know nothing of her marital status. But, what we do know is that she is a public figure, a woman of influence. She is known as a businesswoman in a prestigious city that has been settled by Roman citizens. All of these qualifications make her, in Luke's eyes, worthy of mention. But there is much more to Lydia's personality than her upright citizenship and her wealth. That is why it is important to do some theological "digging" behind the rather flat uncomplicated story that Luke mentions. By looking at the text more closely and studying the historical situation, Lydia's character comes alive. It's like piecing the parts of a puzzle together. So let's do that!
First, let’s turn all of the pieces of the puzzle upright. Obviously, there’s a purple piece that represents her business. I wonder if there is a shellfish to remind us of the source of the purple dye? Since Lydia is a public person and leader in the community, there must be one piece of the puzzle that has a sign or symbol of her leadership within the community. The feminine face of a Macedonian gentile is the next piece we want to connect. There’s also a large house with servants working in the house and cleaning the property. The puzzle is almost complete, but as usual with puzzles there are some gaps. So let's spread out the remaining pieces to find and link together the pictures of the gathering of friends, the women sitting by a river, the city gates in the background and the man preaching to them.
Now we have most all of the pieces connected, but there is a gaping hole in the center of the puzzle. What is missing? Ah, there it is! This piece not only completes the puzzle, but also makes Lydia’s story worth remembering. It’s the "God-fearing" woman piece! Luke says Lydia is “God fearing.” Some translations say, Lydia is a woman who "reverenced God", a "devout" woman. She is also a woman of faith, courage and a lover of God. If you were designing this center piece of the puzzle what would it look like? What colors would you use? How would you not only shape the image, but also the size and form of the piece? God fearing, devout, courageous are qualities often expressed well through art. Perhaps you might want to stop and reread the scripture passage and design this piece of the puzzle for yourself.
Luke’s portrait of Lydia continues and those words “devout” and “God fearing” are for Luke code words to identify gentiles who were "half converts to Judaism". In other words, God fearing people were those who attended Jewish services and accepted the Jewish belief in the one God, but did not practice the whole Mosaic Law. (2) Lydia is one of those people. She is on the path, a faithful seeker of truth. No doubt, that is why God could "open her heart" as she listened to Paul’s preaching. She is so deeply touched by the Spirit that there is no hesitation or doubt on her part. Immediately, she, along with her whole household are baptized.
Persecution and Christianity often went hand and hand for the first Christians. There was no lack of information concerning the ruthless treatment of Christians by the Romans. In fact, the next passage tells of the beating and imprisonment of Paul and Silas. Lydia, on the other hand, neither fears the authorities, nor the negative effects her decision might have on her lucrative business. In fact, my suspicion is that the wealthy with whom she did business would soon hear about her conversion from her own lips.
Lydia’s story doesn’t end here. There is another curious detail of the story. Lydia invites Paul and the others to her house. It certainly is not an unusual gesture; hospitality was and is a sign of the followers of Christ. In the early church especially, we often hear of Christians gathering in a person's home not only because they did not own any public buildings for worship, but also because it was a safe place to pray and socialize. But what is striking about this invitation is the reason Lydia gives for inviting Paul and Silas. It sounds as though she is testing Paul. "If you really think me a true believer…come and stay with us". It seems that Lydia is forcing Paul's hand. Lydia is not a person who likes to ride in the back of the bus. She knows the One in whom she believes and has wholeheartedly embraced the Christian faith. But in return she also demands to be publicly recognized by Paul as a disciple of the risen Jesus. It is an invitation that Paul cannot refuse for "She would take no refusal."
The invitation is no surprise. Lydia is filled with the Holy Spirit. Her enthusiasm and joy lightens the whole community. Of course, she wants to celebrate. But as we look back on it, is there something else going on? If Paul accepts the invitation is he recognizing Lydia’s leadership within the religious community? At this moment, Paul needs Lydia's hospitality. Even later in his life when Paul gets out of prison, he knows he can depend on her strength and trustworthiness. In his time of distress, when he needs comfort, reassurance, security and a community of prayer, Paul immediately seeks out Lydia. In Lydia's house he would always be welcomed and receive the encouragement he needed. (Acts 16:40) Truly he saw her as a faithful disciple.
We don't hear any more of Lydia's story. But, Lydia's contributions to the development of the religious life in Philippi cannot be underestimated. Just as her business and political savvy made her a leader in the civic community, her strength of character and her commitment to Christ formed her as a leader. The community grew and flourished and we hear of the great works they performed. Paul's letter to the Philippians calls them "his joy and crown.” (Phil 4:1) Full of gratitude, Paul sends greetings to them. They are not only the first European Christian community to be established and to become stable, but their love and care for one another overflow beyond their boundaries.
And it all began on a Sabbath when the women were gathered in prayer by "the river outside the gates" of the city of Philippi.
1. Women in Scripture, ed. Carol Meyers, William B Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan/Cambridge, U.K. 2000. p. 463
2. Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A Fitzmyer, S.J., Roland E Murphy, O. Carm., Prentice - Hall, Inc, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1968. "Acts of the Apostles" p. 198 Special thanks to Mary Ellen Green and Maria Hetherton who have helped in editing this article.
"Stories Seldom Heard" is a monthly article written by Sister Patricia Bruno, O.P. Sister is a Dominican Sister of San Rafael, California. This service is offered to the Christian community to enrich one's personal and spiritual life. The articles can be used for individual or group reflection. If you would like "Stories Seldom Heard" sent to a friend, please send a note to "purple115pb@yahoo.com". If you would like to support this ministry, please send tax deductible contributions to Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, c/o Sister Patricia Bruno, O.P., 1520 Grand Avenue, San Rafael, CA, 94901
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