Tuesday

From the Book of Malachi:

"See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight-- indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? 

For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years."

A read through Malachi, the "Italian Prophet", is to see a book that is full of the language of Advent.  Whether his is writing of the coming Baptizer who'll blaze the trail for the Messiah or the coming of the Lord himself, the language can't be clearer.