Father Mike Schmitz

You did me no wrong.

You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

What has become of the satisfaction you felt?

For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?

They make much of you, but for no good purpose.

They want to shut you out that you may make much of them.

For a good purpose, it is always good to be made much of, and not only when I am present with you.

My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you, I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

the allegory of Hagar and Sarah.

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman.

But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through the promise.

Now this is an allegory.

These women are two covenants.

One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery.

She is Hagar.

Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia.

She corresponds to the present Jerusalem for she is in slavery with her children.

But the Jerusalem above is free and she is our mother.