By the Rev’d Hilary Willett
Season: The Sixth Sunday of Eastertide
Readings: Acts 16:9-15 | Rev 21:10, 22–22:5 | John 14:23-29
In our Acts reading this morning, we are introduced to one of my favourite people in the Bible, Lydia.
Lydia was the first Christian convert in Philippi. She was a businesswoman—“a dealer in purple cloth” (Acts 16:14). Pro tip: Purple cloth was hard to come by. It was a luxury item, and those who sold it were usually wealthy. Therefore, Lydia was very likely a successful woman. Since the trade required some capital investment, it’s probable that she belonged to a wealthy common class in Roman society. This afforded her certain freedoms, suggesting that she was independent. She used this privilege to support Paul and the growing church.[1]
I really like fierce women.
A while ago, a person contacted me to tell me about a trip they had gone on to visit the Baptistery of Lydia, in Phillipi. This church is situated on the place where Paul apparently baptised Lydia. I thought I would show you a few photographs of this place.[2]
I find the Baptistery of Lydia remarkably beautiful. Aren’t those terracotta tiles just divine?
This is the river where Paul apparently baptised Lydia, with a small shrine nearby.
Here, we start getting into the baptistery itself. I start getting excited here. I’m rather a big fan of icons, and just look at these ones. So beautifully cared for. So meticulously painted. I personally think this church could use some icons like that, all over the walls. Aren’t they gorgeous?
I don’t know if you can see, but in that little alcove in the centre, there are gold tiles. Stunning.
And these icons just continue all over the ceiling of the baptistery. The light filtering in through stained glass windows.
Here’s a close-up of one of the ceilings, where you can see the light through the stained glass. So much colour and light. Just beautiful.
I feel like I could look at these icons forever.
The reason I’m showing you this, is because I think what I love so much about this Baptistery is that for me it speaks a little to the character of Lydia. In fact, the friend who told me about their trip there, said that just being in that space had caused a deep moment of reflection and inspiration for her. Similar to how Paul was inspired by a vision to travel to Macedonia, similar to how Lydia was inspired to open her heart to Paul’s message, this place inspired my friend in her faith.
And you can really see why, right? This beautiful place, carefully crafted to catch the light and tell stories of our faith through icons, feels heavenly. In fact, icons are often considered windows or doors to heaven in the Orthodox tradition.[3]
And what I love is that this church built in memory of Lydia, is vibrant. Full of colour and light. Inspiration in this place is vivid, creative, full of heavenly vision. Such extravagance.
And to me, this deep, slightly unearthly creativity seems kind of appropriate. Paul’s heavenly vision led him into a new creative space. He thought he was going to see men. In a patriarchal society, this would have made strategic sense. Men were the leaders of the household back then, therefore preaching to men made sense. If Paul had been operating with earthly vision, he would have entirely missed the women. Instead, he meets Lydia, a woman seeking, a woman so open to God that she was immediately convinced. And, even more bizarrely, she is the catalyst for the baptism of her household. In a world of men, it is independent Lydia who becomes a creative force for the Holy Spirit. Isn’t it delightful? Lydia doesn’t just sell vibrant cloth, she is vibrant. An inspired agent for God, who cares for Paul in his mission and furthers the church in Europe.
And this is why this church seems just so appropriate for Lydia. Vibrant Lydia opened her heart to God and was caught up in the heavenly, creative work of the Spirit. Of course, a baptistry for her needs to be similarly creative and inspiring.
Sometimes, when we talk about visioning, we narrow it down into something secular. We talk about strategic planning. We talk about fiscal responsibilities. We talk primarily about numbers and foolproof plans. We consider what we want. What we would like to see in the world, and describe that as God. And don’t get me wrong, thinking carefully and strategically is an important part.
But it is not the whole. Because God’s vision sees more. God’s vision saw more than Paul. God saw Lydia; her creativity, vibrance, and desire for God. And this ultimately outweighed patriarchal considerations of the day. She became the catalyst.
The unexpected creative vision of God is a deeply necessary part of any conversation the church has about where we are heading. Sometimes we have very definite expectations about where we are going, and alongside these very definite expectations, we forget the need to pray. The need to discern. The need to reflect in community. The need to trust in the Spirit.
So, as we come to the end of this talk, I want us to reflect a little now. Where is the Spirit leading? Perhaps you want to reflect on where the Spirit is leading this church? Or where is the Spirit leading this church, this diocese? Perhaps you want to reflect on where God is leading you? Let’s take a little time now to be still together and listen for the Spirit’s guidance.
Close in prayer.
Bibliography
Duquesne University. “Icons: A Research Guide.” Duquesne University, n.d. https://guides.library.duq.edu/icons#:~:text=Icons%2C%20of%20course%2C%20 are%20an,one%20depicted%20in%20the%20image.
Foxwell, Peter. “Was Lydia a Leader of the Church in Philippi?” Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership 10, no. 1 (2020). https://www.regent.edu/journal/journal-of-biblical-perspectives-inleadership/lydia-in-the-bible/.
[1] Peter Foxwell, “Was Lydia a Leader of the Church in Philippi?,” Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership 10, no. 1 (2020), https://www.regent.edu/journal/journal-of-biblical-perspectives-in-leadership/lydia-in-the-bible/.
[2] See: https://kavalatour.com/en/holy-places/baptistery-of-saint-lydia
[3] Duquesne University, “Icons: A Research Guide,” Duquesne University, n.d., https://guides.library.duq.edu/icons#:~:text=Icons%2C%20of%20course%2C%20are%20an,one%20depicte d%20in%20the%20image.