Gospel Note
Among the Synoptic evangelists, Luke goes to the greatest length to pinpoint the appearance of John the Baptist within world history (probably between A.D. 27 and 29). He also quotes more of Isaiah 40 than Mark or Matthew, extending it so as to conclude with the claim "all flesh shall see the salvation of God." The distinctiveness of Luke's account, therefore, is the universal scope in which he sees the message of the Gospel and of its forerunner from the very beginning.

Liturgical…