What is the difference between hopefulness and hopelessness?

People experiencing hopefulness are people of possibility. Hope makes us feel that amazing things are possible. People experiencing hopelessness are people of impossibility. Hopelessness makes us feel that even the smallest things are impossible.

Saint Lydia was a person of hope, and now she is a saint of hope.

We read about Lydia in the Acts of the Apostles (16:13-15). As a successful merchant of purple cloth, Lydia’s life took a transformative turn upon meeting the Apostle Paul by a riverside in Philippi. 

When Paul shared the gospel, Lydia opened her heart to the message. She knew the story of Jesus had the possibility of changing everything. And she was open to letting it change her life completely, trusting that good things lay ahead. Her immediate choice to be baptized, along with her household, marked a decisive step towards that new and hopeful future. 

Lydia’s hope was not just for her sake, but also for the flourishing of her community. She offered her home and resources to Paul and his companions, supporting the spread of Christianity and empowering the emerging Christian community in Philippi. 

Saint Lydia played an important role in the early Church, and she could not have done any of it without hope. 

When we are hopeful, we believe the future can be better than the past, and we believe there are things we can do, things within our influence, that will help bring about that better future. Hope is empowering.

When we lose hope, we stop believing the future can be better and start believing that there is nothing we can do about our situation. This victim mindset takes us deeper into the hopelessness.

Anything that can bring people hope is of infinite value. And nothing will flood your life quite like creating Holy Moments. 

Holy moments remind us that the future can be better than the past. They fill us with hope, they show us that we have a vital role to play in bringing about that better future. Holy moments empower us to give others the gift of hope, and the ability to give other people hope is profoundly beautiful.

(If you’ve never heard of Holy Moments, or you want to learn more about this simple yet life-changing idea, click here.)

It is time we all get a little more hopeful. Begin today. All it takes is a handful of Holy Moments to show you a new and powerful vision for your life.



Feast Day: August 3

Patron Saint of: Dyers

Also Known As: The Woman of Purple

Symbols: The Color Purple