Greek

Καθὼς γέγραπται ἐν τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ προφήτῃ Ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν

Transliterated

Kathōs gegraptai en tō Ēsaia prophētē Idou apostellō ton angelon mou pro prosōpou sou hos kataskeuasei tēn hodon

Literal English

As it has been written in - Isaiah prophet: Behold I send the messenger of Me before face of You who will prepare the way
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English

2Just as it has been written in Prophet Isaiah, See, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way.

Commentary

† St. John the Baptist is referred to as an angelon, angel, messenger. Yet the reference is more loving than just some messenger; he is the "angel of Me", My angel, My messenger. Note also the word apostellō, suggesting St. John the Baptist may be viewed as a forerunner of the Apostles. Further, God sends him right in front of our faces, evoking the immediacy of the message that recurs frequently, and evoking a response to its presence that should be equally immediate. And how much God must love us to have sent someone before us to prepare our way.

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