Marriage, although good, at best, only does not defile the one who lives in it. St. John Chrysostom (35, 320).

"The time is short, so that those who have wives must be as if they had none" (1 Corinthians 7:29), wrote the Apostle, warning not against lawful marriage, but against disorderly voluptuousness. He also pointed to the imminent end of time: if, he says, life passes quickly, one should not cling to it as to a permanent one. St. Isidore Pelusiot (50, 233).

True wealth and great happiness...

Divine creation appeared on earth and in the earthly valleys of the eternally blooming paradise - man. However, man did not yet have a helper like him. Then the all-wise Word performed a truly miracle - created to be a spectator of the world, that is, dividing my root and my seed of manifold life into two parts, with a powerful and life-giving hand extracted a rib from my side to create a wife, and pouring love into the bosom of both, caused them to strive for each other. St. Gregory the Theologian (15:53).

It is true wealth and great happiness when husband and wife live in harmony and are united to each other as one flesh... Such spouses, even if they live poorly and are not noble, can be the happiest of all, because they enjoy true happiness and always live in tranquillity (38:418).

Living in such a marital union, nothing can sadden or disturb their peaceful happiness too much. If there is unanimity, peace and a union of love between husband and wife, all good things flow to them. And evil slanders are not dangerous to spouses, protected like a great wall by unanimity in God... This multiplies their wealth and all abundance; this raises them to the highest level of good fame; this also attracts God's great favor upon them (38:422).

Wives who shine with spiritual beauty reveal their nobility more and more over time, and the stronger the affection and love of their husbands becomes. St. John Chrysostom (37, 232).

Bound by the bonds of matrimony, we replace for each other's hands, feet, and hearing. Marriage makes even the weak twice as strong... The common concerns of the spouses ease their sorrows and common joys delight both of them. For unanimous spouses, wealth is made more pleasant, and in poverty, unanimity itself is more pleasant than wealth. For them, the marital bond is the key to chastity and desire, the seal of the necessary affection. St. Gregory the Theologian (15:59).

Bodily beauty, not combined with spiritual virtue, can captivate spouses for twenty or thirty days, and then it will have no power, but having revealed the bad qualities of the spouses, it will destroy love (37, 232).

If you need to do something for each other's pleasure, you need to adorn the soul, and not dress up the body and destroy it. It is not so much (external) that makes spouses loving, but chastity (kindness), affection and readiness to die for each other. St. John Chrysostom (42, 441).

"Husband, show his wife due favor; like a woman to her husband" (1 Corinthians 7:3). Marriage is honorable, and marriage is blessed by God. Blessed is it, but in order to preserve the power of the Creator in the birth of those like oneself and to oneself;

the continuation of the human race, so that the spouses may become parents and see themselves as fruitful olive plantations. Blessed is he who enters into a conjugal union with this holy intention, he chooses a spouse not out of passion, but looks at her virtues. ... Such an election, as based on prudence, will make the marriage blessed and the spouses happy. Their life will be dissolved in love, nothing will be able to tempt their virtues: for virtue, and not passion, governs their souls. The fruit of their womb is blameless: the child will play in their arms and be comforted by their holy kisses. To bring him up in good manners will be their first concern. And it will not be difficult for them to bring him up in good manners:

being virtuous themselves and setting a constant example of goodness, they will not give an infant a chance to see any temptation. He will wear their image on his face, but he will keep the same image in his morals. Such a son will be a joy to his parents and will make others jealous of them.

When the parents enrich themselves with this treasure, then their house will be in the best order; will be like a cup filled with fragrant wine, a virtuous wife can also be a prudent housewife.