1. Leadership of Women- Highly patriarchal are witnesses of the lack of assertion of women’s leadership in the society and in the communities. In situation like this, women thirst to be recognized and respected as they seek ways to be equal with men in roles and definition in the society. During the time of St. Paul, the cultus of Diana and Isis were attractive to women because they may serve as priestesses and there were opportunities that assumed feminine roles. Lydia was one of those who desired to take some roles of leadership and St. Paul welcomed her as she led the house church in Philippi by preparing everything for the community to gather. Usually, it was assumed that there were around 35 that gathered around in the home of Lydia because there were no synagogues in Philippi that time.

2. Staying in a Place- Lydia’s conversion transpired in a gradual process. Paul, Timothy, and companions stayed in Philippi for several days (cf. Acts 16:12) and this became a gateway and fortuity for them to speak with the women in that place. One of those who listened to them was Lydia. It was just fortunate that it was a Sabbath and Paul and his companions were looking for a synagogue and they never expected that there was no synagogue in town, so they went to the city gate to the river to find for a place of prayer. Their encounter with women brought a new direction of mission. Women took an important place in the community. Had not they stayed in Philippi and encounter with people, possible converts would not had happened. To stay in a place for some time is of paramount importance to proclamation. St. Paul usually stays in a place during his missionary journeys for him to establish a Christian community. He stayed in Ephesus for 3 years; a year and a half in Corinth; 3 years Galatia, etc. To stay in a place and to know the people and their history, culture, religious traditions are the initial aspects of an inculturating process. St. Paul and his companions came to know Lydia who was a worshipper of God (Acts 16:14) and probably she was a member of one of the cults either that of Diana or Isis. St. Paul and his companions learned how to dialogue with Lydia and were able to convincer her to the Christian faith.

3. Charity- Charity is one of the noblest forms of mission. After Lydia and her whole household were baptized, we were told that she offered her house to be the venue Christian gathering and prayer. Hospitality became an immediate act of charity. John Paul II says that charity is the “soul of all missionary activity (RM 60). As her heart opened to the stirrings of the Spirit during her conversion, now she opens the door of her house to others as a sign of service and love for the community. The love for the Church and the community in prayer and worship is an act of charity. Love “remains a driving force of mission, and is also the sole criterion for judging what is to be done, changed and not changed (RM 60).  Her house became the sear of the nascent Church in Philippi and she became the head of the growing Christian community. Women like Lydia were great leaders of the Christian communities in the early church.

4. God’s Initiative of Faith- Faith is a supernatural gift. God takes the initiative that man may be able to develop faith in response to what was proclaimed to him. In the case of Lydia, it was God who opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message (Acts 16:14). There are two implications in this incident here: first, God is always the initiator of faith. It is God who makes the way towards receiving sincerely to the Gospel that was proclaimed. Lydia’s heart was opened by God to make it possible for her to listen and respond to God’s message which was proclaimed by St. Paul. Second, her conversion led her towards mission. This illustrates that in every missionary act, God is the protagonist both in the recipient and the agent of mission.

5. Collective Faith- Faith is not just a private affair. It is a collective grace. Lydia became a missionary to her family and to her entire household. She brought the message to the closest people to her life and we were told that they were all baptized. The collective faith in the family led to a wider gift of communion. Their unity was extended and expressed through the offering a venue for the Church to gather; the whole household agreed to make their home a venue for an emerging Church. Without the unity of faith, there could be no venue or agreement to make their home a new home of faith and a new home for new believers.