Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to
preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our
Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
FIRST LESSON Malachi 3:1–4
"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.
