First Reading

Galatians 4, 22-24. 26-27. 31–5, 1

Brothers and sisters: Scripture says that Abraham had two sons: one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. The son of the slave was born according to the natural order; the son of the free woman, however, was born in virtue of God’s promise.

This has a symbolic meaning. In fact, the two women represent the two covenants: Hagar represents the one from Mount Sinai, which bears children into slavery and is a figure of the Jerusalem here below. On the contrary, the Jerusalem above is free and she is our mother. In this regard Scripture says: Rejoice, you barren one who bear no children; break forth and shout for joy, you who have not known the pains of childbirth; for the deserted wife will have more children than she who has a husband.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. Christ has set us free so that we may be free. Stand firm, then, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

Gospel

Luke 11, 29-32

At that time, the crowd gathered around Jesus and he began to say to them: “This generation is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

The people of Nineveh will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”