Today’s first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, introduces Lydia, a devout business woman from Thyatira. She is in the purple dye trade, which was very much at the luxury end of the clothing market of the day. She’s a skilled, successful woman, capable of running her business and household.
This gives us an interesting and valuable insight into the lives of women at the time which deepens our understanding of the people who made up the early Church. But, fascinating as that is, it’s not the most interesting, important or exciting thing Luke tells us about Lydia. He writes:
“The Lord opened her heart…”
The interesting thing about Lydia is that the Lord spoke directly to her heart and changed her life forever. Building on the devout faith she already had Christ opens her heart to a new and deeper reality, a faith based on the good news of resurrection.
We don’t know all the details of how that change played out through the rest of her life. We only see it’s beginnings in the fact that she and her household were baptised and in her compelling Paul and Barnabas to come and stay with her.
Her story fills me with hope. She teaches me that, if we allow him the opportunity, the risen Christ can open our hearts to the new life his resurrection offers. If we allow him into our hearts he can change the daily reality of our lives just as much as he changed Lydia’s.
Where are you being open your heart to the risen Christ this Eastertide?