Dear Saints,

We are in that season that has since ancient times been known as the “Dog Days of Summer,” when temperatures peak and humidity thickens. It’s the perfect time to grab a book, find a cool place, and enjoy some leisurely reading!

One book that frequently tops my recommended reading list is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. No matter how many times you read it, there’s always a deeper dive to be taken into some character or other. When read honestly, each one successfully sets a mirror before the reader. Take Lydia, for example: that vivacious girl of “high animal spirits” whose thoughtlessness would have spelled ruin for her entire family were it not for the quiet, saving heroism of Austen’s protagonist. We’d like to believe we could never be the cause of someone else’s downfall. Yet how often does our pleasure come at the expense of another’s suffering? Both on a societal and individual level, how often do we even think that through?

Contrast the fictional Lydia of Pride and Prejudice with the real Saint Lydia. A Macedonian purple cloth merchant - that is, a successful businesswoman who would have run in the elite circles of the rich and powerful - Lydia once encountered Saint Paul on a riverbank in Philippi. Hearing his message about Jesus’s saving mission, her heart was immediately opened. Not only did she have her entire household baptized, she went above and beyond in her hospitality to Paul and his companions, insisting they stay with her during their time in the region. So lavish and steadfast was her support, it has been said that Christianity began in Europe because of her Apostolate.

Every day, we can follow the example of one Lydia or the other. We can pursue our own selfish ends, thereby slamming doors on others who need our thoughtfulness to flourish. Or we can pursue the good of others, thereby opening those doors farther and wider than anyone dreamed possible. Our lasting legacy will depend on the choice we make.

Christ’s Peace,

Father Daniel

δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ