Lydia, a rich believer, invites the disciples to stay with her in her home and they accept. She is just one example of many benefactors that assist the apostles work, just as they assisted Jesus' work. To further the Good News, we need to avail ourselves of the gifts of all God's people, not just some.
We are called to love one another, and often this opens us up to suffering. But the mystery of the cross and resurrection of Jesus reveals that this suffering, which is painful, will be transformed into something beautiful, and so we can embrace it.
Jesus tells us that he did not come to condemn the world but to save it. So when we sin, we should not run away. We should run to Jesus, the light of the world.
The prophet Isaiah tells us that the fasting God wants is in helping the poor. Our own fasting during Lent should make us more aware of our own dependence on God and also more aware of the needs of people who go without.
