The beginning of Malachi 3 is a passage often read at the beginning of Advent, a passage pointing to the ministry of John the Baptist, the one who refined the people preparing them for the birth of Christ. If we are honest, we all have rough edges; we all have room for refinement. How open are we to be refined by the Word of God and the Way of Jesus? Malachi then presented some possible areas for refinement, for instance how we treat workers, widows, orphans, and the homeless, and how we live honestly with our financial resources. Where do we have room for refinement?
