For a marriage to be happy, it must be not be built on the principle of trying-it-out. Crowns are placed upon the heads of those being married in the Church, and these crowns symbolize martyrdom. Martyrdom, because someone decides to live for the other, transcending his egotism, and abandoning a life lived only for himself. And not just for a day, or for two years, but for your whole life. This is a real martyrdom and podvig, when a person rises to the full measure of his human dignity.
Artemy VladimirovMore Artemy Vladimirov quotes
There was a worthless drunkard, a thief and a bum with impudent eyes. His mother prayed for him day and night with tears. Her son often hurt her, but she trusted in God. He drank her last kopeck, but his mother forgave and bore it all. One day her patience ran out and she cried, "All in vain, no salvation, I cant pray for him." And, oblivious to a heavy sleep, she sees Satan sitting on his throne. He shouts, he rages in his anger, he asks the demons angrily: "Why is this alcoholic, hooligan and thief wandering in the world? Why have you not yet brought me this crooked soul?" "The torments of hell have long been ready," they said, "but the mothers prayer saves. The powers of darkness are powerless against her." Suddenly the little demon flies in hastily: "At last the battle is won! Gather for the sinful soul.The mothers prayer has fallen silent!" The pack of demons with laughter fled away. The mother, awakened, knelt down. "Lord, forgive me this weakness!" And since then the prayer has not been silent.
Artemy Vladimirov
I think that Orthodoxy, in its endurance and faithfulness to its roots, which in turn means its ability to preserve those grace-filled outward forms, which were neither created nor established by us today, will always manifest a certain spiritual novelty – not a novelty comprised of endless reformations which are not of God, but in the ability to speak to people in their own tongue, in the ability to reveal the treasure of Orthodox Tradition, the treasure of the Scriptures, in an accessible and understandable way. A sermon is nothing less than the ability to find a common tongue with those who are intuitively drawn to the grace-filled depth and height of Orthodoxy, who wish to fall down before its inexhaustible spring.
Artemy Vladimirov
