January 9

As one writer commented, “In contrast to Mark’s rough prophet, Matthew’s wise teacher and John’s mystical divine, Luke’s Jesus is the herald of healing and peace.”
What I love about Luke’s Gospel is his portrayal of the Holy Spirit operative in the life of Jesus and available to us. The power that enabled Jesus to forgive, to heal, to bring peace is the same power that animates and enables us to live such lives.
This sense of the Spirit dwelling in each of us, connecting us even across time, comes to me many morning as I read the Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79). In Luke’s Gospel, Zechariah speaks these words to his son, John:

You, my child, shall be called the prophet 
of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
to give people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

Yet, Luke’s Gospel sends these words out to me, suggesting that it is my vocation as well to prepare the way of the Lord by offering salve (the basis of salvation) and forgiveness. 
Our vocation to be people of healing, people of forgiveness, comes with a promise in Luke’s Gospel:

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

May God indeed guide our feet into the way of peace - again and again, into the way of peace.