First Reading

Brothers and sisters:

It is written that Abraham had two sons,

one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman.

The son of the slave woman was born naturally,

the son of the freeborn through a promise.

Now this is an allegory.

These women represent two covenants.

One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery;

this is Hagar.

But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother.

For it is written:

Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children;

break forth and shout, you who were not in labor;

for more numerous are the children of the deserted one

than of her who has a husband.

Therefore, brothers and sisters,

we are children not of the slave woman

but of the freeborn woman.

For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm

and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.