Ezra 8:31

We therefore moved from the river Ahava on the twelfth, and all the rest full of mysteries. For it is read above that on the first day of the first month they began to go up from Babylon; and now it is said that on the twelfth day of the same month they moved from the river Ahava. Therefore, on the first day of the month, they went out from the gates of Babylon, but until the twelfth day, they waited by the mentioned river until they called Levites and Nathinneos from the region of Caspia to themselves and commended themselves to the Lord more diligently through fasting and praying due to the dangers of the long journey. So, when we teach the new people of the Church to renounce the devil and believe and confess the true God, it is as if we depart from Babylon at the beginning of the first month with money to be consecrated to the Lord; because we show them the beginning of a new conversation, which leads those who are snatched from the devil to the heavenly kingdom. Hence, the same month is usually called the month of new or new fruits in the Holy Scripture. For in the same month, under the same signification of new conversation, the fathers were brought out of Egypt by Moses. But when we give the symbol of faith to these same listeners of the new life, which was arranged by the twelve apostles and is comprehended by as many sentences, it is as if we stay twelve days in the first resting place; and so, we undertake the journey begun to the promised land, which by the acceptance of the knowledge of faith, we show them that a path of virtues must be entered upon to reach life. In these days, Ezra was occupied with fasting, prayers, and gathering Levites and Nathinneos with the children of the migration, because it is necessary that when we propose to acquire new people for faith, then we ourselves must especially give our attention to diligence in virtues, by which we commend ourselves more familiarly to the Lord, and offer an example of good action to those we instruct: we also call in a religious cohort of brethren to assist us, so that helped by them, we may more effectively transfer the souls of the faithful to the fellowship of the elect and to the summit of a more perfect life, as holy vessels to the temple of the Lord. It is aptly subjoined that those who came to Jerusalem from Babylon stayed there for three days, and then the silver, gold, and…