Day 203 - Jeremiah 29

He also adds, “Seek the peace of the city or the land,” “for in its peace will be your peace.” This is confirmed by the apostolic exhortation: “I urge, first of all, that intercessions, prayers, requests and thanksgivings be made for all persons, for kings and all who are in high office, that we might live a quiet and tranquil life in all reverence and chastity.” [1Ti 2:1-2.]Furthermore, according to the mystical understanding, after we are expelled on account of our sins from Jerusalem, that is, the church, and delivered to Nebuchadnezzar, about whom the same apostle said “delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord,” [1Co 5:5.] and again, “they are those whom I delivered to Satan, that they would learn not to blaspheme,” [1Ti 1:20.] we must not be careless or idle, so as to despair inwardly of salvation, but first we must build homes—on rock, not on sand [See Mat 7:24-25; Luk 6:48-49.]—the kind of homes that the midwives built in Exodus because they feared the Lord. [See Exo 1:21.] Second, we must plant gardens or orchards, the kind that the Lord also planted in paradise in Eden, placing within it the tree of life, [See Gen 2:8-9.] about which it is written, “The tree of life is for those who will receive it, and blessed is the one who lays hold of it.” [Pro 3:18.] Third, we must take wives, one of whom is wisdom, about whom Solomon wrote, “Love her, and she will keep you. Embrace her, and she will exalt you,” [Pro 4:6, Pro 4:8.]—St Jerome