We find ourselves in the year 2004 living in a global village which is constantly changing. Everywhere we look we see people who are not at peace. They are always looking for something new and different. We are also aware of the disputes among and within nations. Peace is elusive and certainly cannot be bought or won in war. In Isaiah we read how God sends out peace flowing like a river towards Jerusalem. St Paul speaks of the new creatures that Christians become without distinction of race. We are reminded of our connection to the world in which we live and the suffering this entails. In the passage from Luke we are given as it were a set of guidelines to help us in our mission of spreading the Good News. True peace will never be found until we stop and truly follow the teachings of Jesus. If persons are at peace with themselves and with the world then of course they will promote peace. Then we may find ourselves in a situation where, as the song says

Peace is flowing like a river
       Flowing out of you and me
       Flowing out into the desert
       Setting all the captives free.

In this case it is the captives of materialism and capitalism who are set free as they come to realise that true peace can be found by following the teachings of Jesus.