Here is today’s New Testament reading, from Acts: ‘Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days; and on the sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshipper of God. The Lord opened her heart to give heed to what was said by Paul. And when she was baptised, with her household, she besought us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us’.

Lydia’s words can strike a chord with each one of us: ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay’. It is a kind of prayer we can all pray. We can know if we are being faithful by our love for God and by our deeds of love to our neighbour. Today, may we show our faithfulness by this deep sharing of love.

This day is also the Memoria of St Pachomius, Abbot, who was the fourth century Egyptian monk and founder of cenobitic monasticism. We ask his prayers and God’s blessing for us all this day.