The Book of the Small Prophet Malachi Chapter 2

The Book of the Small Prophet 

Malachi

 Chapter 

2

¹ And now, O priests, this command is for you. ² If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse on you and I will curse your blessings; indeed I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to the heart.

(Book of the Prophet Malachi Chapter 2 verses 1 to 2)

Oh God my Father, even though alot of spiritual benefits may result when young priests or monks work with youths and appear in the social sphere in the sense of having one's television programme or might be known for one's singing etc, there is also the risk of that priests lacking in one;s spiritual growth and prayer life. I pray that our priests will be known for their holy lives, instead of for their popularity in the media Amen.


³ I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and I will put you out of my presence.



(Book of the Prophet Malachi Chapter 2 verse 3)



Oh God my Father I thank You for being both loving, merciful and just. I thank You for educating us, by permitting us to experience both the positive and the negative experiences of our actions. There are times when we merit Your praise and there are times when we need to have our noses rubbed in the dirt to keep us in a state of humility and off our high horses Amen.



⁴ Know then, that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the LORD of hosts, ⁵ My covenant with him was a covenant of life and well-being, which I gave him; this called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.



(Book of the Prophet Malachi Chapter 2 verses 4 to 5)




Oh, God my Father as human beings we have signed what is called a form of invisible social contract that by which we have committed ourselves to obey the norms of society perform one's duties and obligations and in turn, one would also benefit from one's rights as a social being. However, when we were born as Roman Catholics and baptised, we also entered into a new covenant with You, my God and Father and creator. You gave us the covenant of love, life and well-being that we confirmed later on in life, and for this, we are responsible and accountable to You my God and Father. I pray that we all take this commitment seriously and never put it aside Amen. You signed this contract with Your own blood on the cross for our salvation, therefore this contract is more than precious Amen.



⁶ True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. ⁷ For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.


(Book of the Prophet Malachi Chapter 2 verses 6 to 7)



Oh God my Father may we learn to love and respect Your priests, even though as humans they have their weaknesses as we all do. Let us make ours the messages that they give us and seek their direction as if coming directly from Your mouth Amen.




⁸ But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts, ⁹ and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction.



(Book of the Prophet Malachi Chapter 2 verses 8 to 9)



Oh God it seems that the theme that You have chosen for me today is that of humility, for all the biblical verses that You have passed on to me are based on this theme. I pray that You help me in becoming more humble as it seems I am not yet master of my ego. I pray that You help me in conquering myself Amen.


¹⁰ Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?


 (Book of the Prophet Malachi Chapter 2 verse 10)


Brothers and sisters have we not one father, and are we not all sons and daughters, then why are we art war with each other, why are we not united as one big family. The answer is simple my God and Father. You have the interest as all parents to see Your family united, however the evil spirit has the intention of seeing us divided among ourselves and even within ourselves, so that we may become uncertain and in doubt of everyone and most of all You and our belief in You.

 
¹¹ Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed inIsrael and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 


 (Book of the Prophet Malachi Chapter 2 verse 11)



Oh God at times I have also profaned the sanctuary. During times of prayer, I have done things which I should not have done and which are not acceptable in Your sight. I have 'married' a compulsion that has taken control of my mind. I pray for Your healing my God and Father Amen.



¹² May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob anyone who does this-any to witness or answer, or to bring an offering to the LORD of hosts.


(Book of the Prophet Malachi Chapter 2 verse 12) 



In name of all sinners such as myself, I plead for mercy before Your throne in Your presence especially during this time of prayer, for it is not what I wish I end up doing, but what this brain that at times I have no control over makes me do. This sinful flesh that compels me to go against Your will. 



¹³ And this you do as well: You cover the LORD's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor at your hand. ⁺⁴ You ask, "Why does he not?" Because the LORD was a witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. ¹⁵ Did not one God make her? Both flesh and spirit are his. And what does the one God desire? Godly offspring. So look to yourselves, and do not let anyone be faithless to the wife of his youth. ¹⁶ For I hate divorce, says the LORD, the God of Israel, and covering one's garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So take heed to yourselves and do not be faithless. 



(Book of the Prophet Malachi Chapter 2 verse 13 to 16)  




Oh God my beloved Father, You have left me without words, for I am also faithless towards my wife. I sorrowfully admit that I  have lost trust in the one that You gave me, but on the other hand I openly declare that I place my trust in You. Therefore I pray that You help me foster trust in my wife the one that You have chosen for me in flesh and in spirit Amen. 
 


¹⁷ You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "All who do evil are good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them." Or by asking, "Where is the God of justice?"



(Book of the Prophet Malachi Chapter 2 verse 17)

Oh God my beloved Father, I understand how much I weary You. Many times I say "I will abstain from doing this negative act, or "I am at being more self-controlled" and then sadly enough when the time of trial arrives, I fail the test. Promises, promises, but I am not always faithful to such promises. I pray oh God my beloved Father, that You make me stronger in my will, for my spirit longs to be with You, but my mind and body keep me at a distance Amen.

Oh God my beloved Father, I would like to end the second chapter of the book of Malachi with the following prayer:-

Oh God I offer a special prayer in the name of all humanity and thus including myself. Please help us to become more aware of our sinful selfs so that we turn back from our sinful nature and its lures. As a Church may we turn back to You and be faithful in our ways Amen. 

The Book of the Small Prophet Malachi Chapter 1

 

The Book of the Small Prophet 

Malachi

 Chapter 

1

 

 

1. An oracle. The word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. 2. I have loved you, says the LORD. But you say, "How have you loved us?" Is not Esau Jacob's brother? says the LORD. Yet I have loved Jacob 3. but I have hated Esau; I have made his hill country a desolation and his heritage a desert for Jackals.

(Book of Small Prophets Malachi Chapter 1 verses 1 to 3)

Oh God my Father, I thank You for never stopping loving us. Your love is never ending. Even though we do not always experience Your love, due to the distance between us created by our sins Amen.





4. If Edom says, "We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins," the LORD of hosts says: They may build, but I will tear down, until they are called the wicked country, the people with whom the LORD is angry forever. 5. Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, "Great is the LORD beyond the borders of Israel!"





(Book of Small Prophets Malachi Chapter 1 verses 4 to 5)





Oh God my Father many times we make many plans and agendas which are not according to Your will and therefore You end up having to end up having to make the necessary changes on our behalf in order to fix where we interrupted Your plans Amen.




6. A son honors his father, and servants their master. If then I am a father, where is the honor due me? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name.


(Book of Small Prophets Malachi Chapter 1 verse 6)

Oh God my Father I totally agree with You, for You are the Master Creator, God my Father, and all love honour and praise is to be proclaimed on to You Amen. Our weak spirits would like to do so my God and Father, but our sinful self is at war within and at times it makes life very difficult to endure. I pray oh God my Father for more power so that we can overcome the lures of our natural self, so that we can invest our energy in the spiritual self that You have given us Amen.





7. By offering polluted food on my altar on my altar. And you say, "How have we polluted it?" By thinking that the LORD'S table may be despised. 8. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not wrong? Try presenting that to your governor, will he be pleased with you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts.





(Book of Small Prophet Malachi Chapter 1 verses 7 to 8)



Oh God my Father as laity we may not pollute the altars, however, when the priest offers the sacrificial offering he is offering it for his own sins and for ours. Therefore if our behaviour during mass is not appropriate, if we do not show respect to You my God by the way we are dressed, and by the way we behave we are still polluting the sacrifice. If we do not go for confession and are dirty in Your presence, because there are issues that we have never confessed ,we are  also violating our part of the sacrifice. As much as the head of State would be disappointed with a second class offering, so do You, my God and Father. Therefore I pray oh God my Father that we be prepared before appearing in Your presence Amen.




9. And now implore the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. The fault is yours. Will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts.




(Book of Small Prophet Malachi Chapter 1 verse 9)



Oh God my Father as much as it was the blame of the members of the priesthood we can as one universal priesthood admit that we have sinned and means all ranging from priests to laity, for we are all swimming in one ocean, all in our different life circumstances. Therefore nobody can accuse Priest of being corrupt or child abusers without first looking at ourselves and pasting an adequate label according to our many faults and shortcomings because in some way or another we are all sinners.



10. Oh, that someone among you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not kindle fire pn my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hands.



(Book of Small Prophet Malachi Chapter 1 verse 10)



Oh God, my Father I pray that when we come before You, we come out of belief, love and commitment and not as a consequence of need or crisis. May our relationship be genuine and not fake based on selfish agendas that dictate to God what we want and never reciprocating thanksgiving and praise or worship. It is better for us not to come before You at all than to come to worship with a hidden agenda.



11. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering for my name is great among the nations says the LORD of hosts.


(Book of Small Prophet Malachi Chapter 1 verse 11)



Oh God my Father indeed Your Name is greater and mightier than that of all famous people and ancient gods of the past. Furthermore, Your Name is worthy to be praised from the setting of the sun to its going down. May we never stop praising and proclaiming Your Name Amen. I invite you to join me in the following song and give worship to God our Father!


You are worthy of Praise




12. But you profane it when you say that the Lord's table is polluted, and the food for it may be despised.



(Book of Small Prophet Malachi Chapter 1 verse 12)



Oh God my Father when the fact that Your presence in the holy Eucharist is denied or made subject to doubt by unbelievers and at times even believers, this is also a form of pollution. Like wise when we proclaim that we believe in You and then we do not place our trust in You, it is also showing unbelief. I pray oh God my Father that it would be better for those who do not believe in You to leave the Church and return when they start believing than staying in the Church and corrupt or pollute other's minds and souls by what they say or do.



13. "What a weariness this is, " you say and you sniff at me, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. 14. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in the flock and vows to give it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished; for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is reverenced among the nations.



(Book of Small Prophet Malachi Chapter 1 verses 13 to 14)



Oh God my Father although You perform many works we still grumble and complain. It seems like me and You are in the same situation we can never get it right. Although our intentions may be well, others still complain abou tthe outcome.  I Thank You my God and Father that You love me so much Amen. I pray that in time we become more alike Amen.


I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:


Oh God my Father  at times I also turn on You and beg for Your love and mercy. The world is so cruel and unjust that to live life without You does not make any sense at all. I pray that I never lose hope in You my God and Father, because if I do so my life will not be worth living Amen.