Hierusalem | Jerusalem

"But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother." - Galatians 4:26

 

As we come to encounter this passage especially these verses, we could read and understand that St. Paul supports his appeal for Gospel by a further argument from the scripture. It involves the relationship of Abraham to his wife Sarah, that St. Paul recalled her as the freeborn woman, and to Hagar, the slave woman and the contrast between the sons born to each – Isaac, child of promise, and Ishmael, son of Hagar.

Furthermore, he wants to remind us that we belong to the sons and daughters that were born from the freeborn woman, and Jerusalem above is our destiny. Jerusalem is the place where there are only peacefulness, love, justice, freedom and integrity found. And everybody is invited to come and experience all these things and to have an intimate relationship with the Lord. 

If we then belong to the freeborn woman, then that can only love, mercy, forgiveness, goodness we have to share. Do not burden others with what belongs to the child of the flesh. Anger, selfishness, anxiety, because all of these will not help us to discover Jerusalem that God have promised and prepared for us.

 

Reflections on Galatians 4:21-31 by Sr. Maria Venidora SND

(Listen to the Podcast here)