Welcome to a new week! It’s Monday, May 11, 2026, and we are currently walking through the Sixth Week of Easter. This is a beautiful, transitional time in the liturgical calendar. We are still basking in the glow of the Resurrection, but we are also beginning to look toward the Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Today’s readings, Acts 16:11-15 and John 15:26-16:4a, offer us a masterclass in how the spiritual life actually works. It’s a mix of divine grace, human hospitality, and the gritty reality of living as a person of faith in a world that doesn’t always "get it." Whether you’re sitting at your desk, commuting, or taking a quiet moment at home, let’s dive into what God is saying to us today through the Word and how it applies to our global mission here at The Pontifical Mission Societies.
Lydia: The Businesswoman with an Open Heart
In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we follow Paul and his companions to Philippi. This was a Roman colony, a bustling place. They go to a place of prayer by the river, and that’s where they meet Lydia.
Now, Lydia is a fascinating character. The Bible describes her as a "seller of purple." In the ancient world, purple dye was incredibly expensive. It was sourced from Murex snails, and it took thousands of them to produce just a tiny amount of pigment. This tells us a few things: Lydia was likely a successful businesswoman, she moved in high-society circles, and she was a person of influence.
But here is the most important part of her story: "The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying."
Think about that for a second. Paul was an incredible orator. He had the best arguments, the best theology, and the most compelling testimony. But even Paul’s best sermon wasn’t enough on its own. The text makes it clear that it was the Lord who opened her heart.
This is such a relief for us, isn’t it? Sometimes we feel so much pressure to "convince" people about our faith. We think if we just say the right words or have the perfect answer, we’ll "win" someone over. But Lydia’s story reminds us that while we are called to be witnesses, like Paul was, it is ultimately God’s grace that does the heavy lifting. Our job is to show up, share the truth in love, and then trust the Holy Spirit to do the internal work that only He can do.
The Advocate: Our Guide to the Truth
As we move into the Gospel of John, Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure. He knows they are going to be confused, scared, and eventually, targeted for their faith. So, He makes them a promise: He is sending the Advocate, the Spirit of Truth.
The word "Advocate" (or Paraclete in the original Greek) literally means "one called to the side of." Imagine a defense attorney, a guide, and a comforter all rolled into one. Jesus tells us that this Spirit will "testify" about Him.
In a world that is often described as "post-truth," where everyone has their own version of reality, having the Spirit of Truth is our greatest competitive advantage. We don’t have to figure everything out on our own. We have a constant companion who helps us discern right from wrong and who reminds us of everything Jesus taught.
But there’s a catch. Jesus is very honest with us in this passage. He doesn't sugarcoat the future. He tells the disciples that they will be expelled from synagogues and that people will persecute them, thinking they are offering "worship to God" by doing so.
Why does He tell them this? He says, "I have told you this so that you may not fall away."
True faith isn’t a fairy tale where everything is easy once you say "yes" to God. Sometimes, saying "yes" to God makes things harder in the short term. But the Spirit of Truth gives us the stamina to endure. When the world rejects us or when our values clash with the culture around us, the Advocate stands by our side, whispering the truth of our identity back to us.
You are a Delight to the Lord
Before we connect this to our mission work, let’s look at Psalm 149. There’s a line in there that every one of us needs to hear today: "For the Lord takes delight in his people."
Take a breath and let that sink in. The Creator of the stars, the One who designed the complexities of the human heart, the Sovereign God of history… He takes delight in you.
We often think of God as a distant judge or a strict teacher. But the Psalmist paints a picture of a God who finds joy in His children. He isn’t just "putting up" with you; He delights in you. When we live from a place of being "delighted in," our motivation for mission changes. We aren’t trying to earn God’s love; we are responding to it. We aren't doing mission out of guilt; we are doing it out of the overflow of being loved by the Father.
Modern-Day "Lydias" and the Society of St. Peter the Apostle
So, how does all of this tie into the work we do here at The Pontifical Mission Societies?
Specifically, let’s look at the Society of St. Peter the Apostle (SPA).
Lydia is the perfect biblical patron for what our supporters do. She was a woman of means who used her resources to support the early Church. After she was baptized, she insisted that Paul and his companions stay at her home. She became a pillar of the community in Philippi, ensuring the Gospel had a "home base" to grow from.
In many ways, our partners at SPA are modern-day Lydias.
The Society of St. Peter the Apostle focuses on supporting the formation of local clergy and religious sisters in mission territories. We believe that the best way for the Spirit of Truth to reach a culture is through the voices of the people who live there. But seminaries and convents in mission lands, in parts of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, often lack the basic resources to train these future leaders.
When you support SPA, you are doing exactly what Lydia did. You are using your resources to provide a "home" for the Gospel. You are ensuring that a young man in a remote village who feels called to the priesthood has a roof over his head, books to study, and the formation he needs to become a witness to the Truth.
Your generosity is the "purple dye" of today, it is a precious resource that you are placing at the feet of the Lord to help build His Kingdom. Just as God opened Lydia’s heart, He has opened the hearts of so many of you to see the needs of the global Church and to respond with incredible kindness.
Reflection: Carrying the Truth into Your Week
As we begin this week, I want to leave you with a few questions to take to your own prayer time:
- Where do I need an "open heart"? Is there a person you’re struggling to forgive? A teaching of the Church you’re struggling to understand? A call to mission you’ve been ignoring? Ask the Lord today, "Lord, open my heart just as You opened Lydia’s."
- Am I listening to the Advocate? In the noise of social media, news, and daily stress, it’s easy to drown out the Spirit of Truth. Can you find five minutes of silence today just to listen?
- Do I believe God delights in me? If you truly believed God delighted in you, how would that change your mood today? How would it change the way you treat the people around you?
A Final Word of Encouragement
"The Lord takes delight in his people."
Carry that confidence into this new week. You are not alone on the road. You have the Spirit of Truth as your guide, and you have a global family of faith standing with you.
Thank you for being such a vital part of this global mission. Your prayers and your support are what allow the "Lydias" of the world to rise up and lead the Church into the future. Please keep our mission students and seminarians in your prayers this week, they are preparing to be the voices of the Spirit of Truth in places where hope is desperately needed.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can support the Society of St. Peter the Apostle, please visit our website at www.fraugustinedejidada.org. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps open a door for the Gospel.
Have a blessed and spirit-filled week!