Scholars will tell us that this passage from Luke's Gospel sounds more like St John's way of speaking. The style of each Gospel is, of course, quite different, since God works according to the personality, talents and experience of each Gospel writer in revealing his truth to us. Nevertheless, since all of the Gospels intend to present us with a picture of Jesus the Messiah, Son of God and Saviour, it is inevitable that, in some cases at least, there should be a similarity of thought and even of language.

Two points come across strongly in today's Gospel passage. First all, the relation between Jesus and God is that of Son and Father. All the Gospels emphasize this point, so that we are certain this is the common faith of the Apostles and not simply the personal view of any one writer. Hence it is necessary part of our Christian faith.

The second point which comes across today is the sublimity of the revelation brought by Jesus. It is something entirely new, something which the prophets could only glimpse as a future marvel. This theme of "newness" pervades our whole Advent liturgy, because God is now making all things new in Jesus.