The Prophet Malachi

The last of the Twelve Prophets, whose name means "my messenger". He spoke to Jerusalem after the return from exile, rebuking priests who brought the blind and the lame to the altar and a people grown weary of God, and foretold that from the rising of the sun to its going down a pure offering would be made to God among the nations (Malachi 1:11), which the Fathers from the Didache on read of the Eucharist. He foretold the messenger sent to prepare the way of the Lord (3:1), whom the Gospels find in John the Forerunner (Mark 1:2), and Elijah, sent before the great and terrible day of the Lord. Feast: January 3.