Malachi 3:1 is fulfilled in the life cycle of a Catholic. A Catholic serves as messenger, temple of the Holy Spirit, and a messenger of the covenant.
Malachi 3:1 Now I am sending my messenger ,he will prepare the way before me; And the lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple; The messenger of the covenant whom you desire see, he is coming! says the LORD of hosts.
The
first part, Role of messenger is to prepare the way for Jesus: John the Baptist's mission continues through Catholics who share living testimonies with themselves and others, and through the Church's catechesis, which involves preparing people's hearts for the coming of Christ."
The Second Part, The Lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple; Catholics are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Catholic Baptism initiates this transformation, washing away sin and inviting the Holy Spirit to dwell within, making the person a living, consecrated temple for God's presence, a truth reinforced by passages like Romans 12:1, "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice
The Third Part, Jesus Christ is the ultimate "Messenger of the Covenant," and Baptism enacts this covenant by incorporating people into His Body, a union with Christ's death and resurrection, a foundational sacrament for new life in His Church. It's the foundational sacrament, making one a child of God, a member of Christ, and a temple of the Spirit, establishing the new covenant relationship God promised, much like circumcision marked the old. Catholic Baptism marks the beginning of the journey towards unity with Christ and enables this spiritual path.
This covenant has four stages to union with Christ's death and resurrection .1 Basic Active Catholic life . 2 Purification 3.Illumination 3.Union.
Fundamental Catholic life: Engage with Active Grace and Blessings.
A fundamental Catholic life can enhance your connection with the Church,
the saints, and, through them, the Holy Mother. This experience takes
place on a human level, within the context of Actual Grace present in
the Church. A key aspect of an active Catholic life is understanding actual grace for everyday blessings. As
you receive more blessings, you gain a deeper understanding of their
source. Ultimately, you come to realize that nothing matters; only
blessing matters.
Living a fundamental Catholic life involves resisting worldly
temptations and pressures, which is viewed as a spiritual struggle that
requires discipline, prayer, and participation in sacraments such as
Confession and the Eucharist. It emphasizes making intentional choices
to adhere to Christ's teachings rather than secular norms, prioritizing
eternal life over temporary worldly pleasures and is often referred to
as walking a "narrow path." The distractions of daily life can lead
individuals away from Christ. Thus, Fundamental Catholic life will be anchored in culture and social activities.
To lead a
fundamental Catholic life, individuals should be baptized in
the Catholic faith and participate in church activities from a young age
to receive associated blessings.
1. Live a sacramental life to receive blessings from Christ.
2. Recite the rosary daily to develop a relationship with Mary and
receive her blessings.
3. Read Scripture and understand how the Word has influenced the lives
of the saints.
4. Seek blessings through the intercession of the saints to cultivate a
good relationship with them.
5. Get involved in the community and engage in charitable works to share
these blessings.
A proper relationship with the Sacraments, Scripture, Traditions,
Teachings, Mother Mary, and the Rosary begins the process of
governance
through sanctifying grace for purification. The Rosary is a significant tool for comprehending the role of
sanctifying grace in the daily lives of Catholics, assisting them in their
preparation for purification before entering the Kingdom of Heaven.
Understanding this aspect of sanctifying grace is linked to Christ's
peace and happiness.
"He will sit refining and purifying silver", Purification stage of sanctifying grace.
Malachi 3:2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand firm when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like fullers’ lye.3 He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the Levites, Refining them like gold or silver, that they may bring offerings to the LORD in righteousness.
symbolizes God's intense, focused, and patient work (often through trials) to cleanse believers (the "sons of Levi") of sin, removing impurities so they reflect His image and offer true righteousness, a process often seen as a deep spiritual cleansing or passive purgation of sin by divine grace, though the "sitting" emphasizes His attentive presence, not just passivity.
"on the day when I take action", illuminative stage of sanctifying grace stage of sanctifying grace.
Malachi 3: 16. Of those who fear the LORD and esteem his name.17. They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, my own special possession, on the day when I take action. And I will have compassion on them, as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.
19. For the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble,
And the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of justice will arise with healing in its wings; And you will go out leaping like calves from the stall. 21 and tread down the wicked; They will become dust under the soles of your feet, on the day when I take action, says the LORD of hosts.
"I will draw near to you for judgment", Union stage of sanctifying grace.
Malachi 3: 5. I will draw near to you for judgment, and I will be swift to bear witness 23. Now I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, Before the day of the LORD comes, the great and terrible day; 24. He will turn the heart of fathers to their sons, and the heart of sons to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the land with utter destruction.