"Purple cloth"

[Brigid]

Doesn't the color purple represent Royalty. martyrdom and penance?
During Lent all the statues in church are covered in purple cloth (penance), and during the crowning of thorns they dressed Our Lord in a purple robe and went down on their knees in mockery to do Him homage (royalty and suffering).

So this might be a reference to our need for penance, suffering, homage (keeping our eye always on Him) and humility in our careers?
 

[martin]

It's amazing what we can learn just from a color.
Everything in scripture is so packed full of meaning.
Was it St Alphonus (I'm open to corection)  who wanted to write on the Our Father and after many months couldn't get past the first two words?

[Shin]

Hmm... I wonder what it could mean. I know that some saints replace angels that fell, and are given the graces necessary for this, taking their thrones.

Also, priests, and other people of special note have more than one, or especially powerful (from the higher ranked choirs) guardian angels. Hmm.

[Brigid]

Hmm... I wonder what it could mean. I know that some saints replace angels that fell, and are given the graces necessary for this, taking their thrones.

Also, priests, and other people of special note have more than one, or especially powerful (from the higher ranked choirs) guardian angels. Hmm.

What you say really gives me pause. Hm....

[Brigid]

Hmm... I wonder what it could mean. I know that some saints replace angels that fell, and are given the graces necessary for this, taking their thrones.

Also, priests, and other people of special note have more than one, or especially powerful (from the higher ranked choirs) guardian angels. Hmm.

So it sounds like what your talking about is Saints/saints becoming royalty in heaven.

[Patricia]

Could it be that the four Gospel writers have been given a very high place in heaven above others?

[Shin]

So it sounds like what your talking about is Saints/saints becoming royalty in heaven.

Well, after a fashion.. more along the lines of taking up the graces and privileges and abilities that make them capable of filling a position formerly possessed by angels that fell.

In other words, what abilities, responsibilities, privileges, etc. those angels had, but when they fell left unfulfilled, are now instead given to others, who are supplied with what is necessary to make up for the fact that they are not angels.

So I was speculating lightly whether or not these apostles were given places in the Seraphic choir. I don't really have any real evidence to say though, so it's just lightest speculation.

Or perhaps these seraphim were the guardian angels or helpers of those apostles.. But again, no evidence whatsoever.  

[Brigid]

So, Shin, how would that make "Lydia, a seller of purple"?

[Shin]

So, Shin, how would that make "Lydia, a seller of purple"?

Oh I see! Royalty yes! I got so distracted by the angels I forgot about the purple!  

Certainly the Seraphim are among the highest of the high royalty of Heaven.

[Shin]

Hmm. Now this is truly getting me thoughtful.

[Brigid]

Hmm. Now this is truly getting me thoughtful.

Oh, good.

[Patricia]

Brigid, tell me more about Lydia. I don't know anything about her.

[Brigid]

Brigid, tell me more about Lydia. I don't know anything about her.

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one that worshipped God, did hear: whose heart the Lord opened to attend to those things which were said by Paul. Acts 16:14

That's all that's written about her.

[Patricia]

Brigid, Autumn Rose gave an answer to that earlier in the thread, if that's what you are looking for. Let me quote what Autumn Rose found.

Lydia was a women ahead of her time. She lived in about A.D. 50 and was a business women from Thyratira. In her business she sold purple cloth, which at that time, was associated with high social rank and great wealth. The purple dye was obtained from the shells of the murex, an ocean molusk. Because it was difficult to produce, the dye and garments of that color were expensive.

[Brigid]

Brigid, Autumn Rose gave an answer to that earlier in the thread, if that's what you are looking for. Let me quote what Autumn Rose found.

Lydia was a women ahead of her time. She lived in about A.D. 50 and was a business women from Thyratira. In her business she sold purple cloth, which at that time, was associated with high social rank and great wealth. The purple dye was obtained from the shells of the murex, an ocean molusk. Because it was difficult to produce, the dye and garments of that color were expensive.

So, Autumn Rose is saying that the reason it was put in the NT specifically is due to Lydia being a business woman and tied to expensive things?

[Patricia]

Is she a saint , by any chance? Saint Lydia. I know it is  a common Catholic name in India.