Seeking Peace

Ζήτησον εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὐτήν. Περὶ ταύτης εἴρηκεν ὁ Κύριος· Εἰρήνην ἀφίημι ὑμῖν, εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν· οὐ καθὼς ὁ κόσμος δίδωσιν εἰρήνην, ἐγὼ δίδωμι ὑμῖν. Ζήτησον οὖν τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρήνην, καὶ δίωξον αὐτήν. Διώξεις δὲ οὐκ ἄλλως ἢ κατὰ σκοπὸν τρέχων εἰς τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως. Ἄνω γάρ ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνην ἡ ἀληθής. Ἐπεὶ ὅσον γε τῇ σαρκὶ συνδεδέμεθα χρόνον, πολλοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἐκταράσσουσιν ἡμᾶς συνεζεύγμεθα. Ζήτησον οὖν εἰρήνην, λύσιν τῶν τοῦ κοσμου τούτου θορύβων· κτῆσαι γαληνιῶντα νοῠν, ἀκύμονά τινα καὶ ἀτάραχον κατάστασιν τῆς ψυχῆς, μήτε ὑπὸ παθῶν σαλευομένην, μήτε ὑπὸ τῶν ψευδῶν δογμάτων διὰ πιθανότητος προκαλουμένων εἰς συγκατάθεσιν περιελκομένην, ἵνα κτήσῃ τὴν εἰρήνην τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ὑπερέχουσαν πάντα νοῦν, φρουροῦσαν τὴν καρδίαν σου.   Ὁ ζητῶν εἰρήνην, Χριστὸν ἐκζητεῖ, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη, ὅς ἔκτισε τοὺς δύο εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, ποιῶν εἰρήνην, καὶ εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ, εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος ὁ Μέγας, Ὁμιλία Ἐις Τους Ψαλμούς, Εἰς Τον ΛΓ' Ψαλμον  Source: Migne PG 29 376

Seek peace and pursue it. 1 Concerning this the Lord has said, 'My peace I leave you, my peace I give you; not as the world gives peace do I give it to you.' 2 Seek, therefore, the peace of the Lord and pursue it. And you shall pursue it in no other way than to run to the prize of the judge of the supernal vocation. 3 For true peace is in the heavens. For as much time as we are bound to the flesh, the many things which we are yoked to trouble us. Seek therefore peace, a release from the troubles of the world, adhere to a quiet mind, and to a tranquil and imperturbable state of soul, which is not agitated by desires, nor is carried off by false teachings which by verisimilitude invite assent, that you achieve the peace of God, which exceeds all understanding, and it shall guard your heart. 4 He who seeks peace, seeks Christ, because He is our peace, He who two in one new man established 5 and who gives peace through the blood of the cross, whether in heaven or on earth. 6 Saint Basil of Caesarea, Homilies on the Psalms, from Psalm 33 1 Ps 33.15 2 Jn 14.27 3 Phillip 3.14 4 Phillip 4.7 5 Ephes 2.14 6 Coloss 1.20