Saint John Chrysostom
(Speech on Genesis 55, 3, ΕΠΕ 4, 134 – MG 54, 416-417)
This is a true marriage, when there is a great deal of agreement between the two spouses, when there is a close connection, when they are very tightly bound in love. That is, just as the body can never rebel against itself, nor the soul against itself, so the man and the woman must not be separated and in conflict, but must be united. For only then it is possible for them to accumulate innumerable goods.
Saint John Chrysostom
(Speech on Genesis 55, 2, ΕΠΕ 4, 388 – MG 54, 481)
Jacob worked for Rachel for seven years, and it felt like a few days because he loved her. The seven years seemed like a few days to him because of the excessive love he had for the girl. When one is wounded by the craving of love, they see none of the difficulties, but they bear easily all dangers and many sufferings because they aim at one thing only: satisfying their desires.