"The Greek church has become largely an empty shell that doesn’t represent anything. The patriarch of Constantinople parishes in the US are even worse. Ever try watching any history programs of ecclesiastical teachings filmed by a Greek parish or Goarch? They are all horrible, nearly unwatchable and bereft of the touch of God."
- Jim Minter

St. John Maximovitch's teachings regarding Holy Communion. This is highly recommended!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdxM3cU2tMk

Icon of St. Seraphim Rose of Platina at Holy Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia.

A monk complained to St. Arsenius that while reading Holy Scripture he felt neither the power of the words he read nor gentleness in his heart. The great saint replied to him:

“My child, just read! I heard that when snake-charmers cast a spell upon serpents, these sorcerers utter words which they themselves do not understand, but the serpents, hearing the words spoken, sense their power and are tamed. And so it is with us, when the words of Holy Scripture are continually on our lips, although we do not feel the power of the words, evil spirits tremble and flee for they are unable to endure the words of the Holy Spirit.” My child, just read! The Holy Spirit, Who wrote these divine words through inspired men, will hear, understand and hasten to your assistance. Likewise, the demons will hear and understand, and will flee from you. That is: He to Whom you are calling for help will understand, and those whom you wish to drive away from yourself will understand. And both goals will be achieved.

— St. Nikolai Velimirovic, The Prologue of Ohrid, May 8

"Are the people to be blamed if the godless elders and false prophets lead them astray?"

"The people are not to blame to as great a degree as their elders and false prophets, but nevertheless they are to blame to a certain extent. For God also gave the people to know the right path through conscience and through the preaching of God’s word. Thus, the people should not have blindly followed their blind leaders when they led them on false paths and distanced them from God and God’s law."

— St. Nikolai Velimirovic, The Prologue of Ohrid, May 6

“Literature is often the result of the lies of the fallen spirits. Such novels and books are not Christian works; there is even Satanism and lies in some of them, for Satan is the father of lies.”
—Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica.

"But how can one be 'witnessing Orthodoxy' if one doesn't even inform the Catholics that they have no sacraments...?"

-Fr. Seraphim Rose, letter dated June 22/July 5, 1970

https://www.goldenmouth.org/st-seraphim-of-platina/letters#june-22july-5-1970

Found this at a monastery in Serbia, seraphim rose as a saint

Life on our little family farm. Nothing better than tilling up the ground, driving my tractor with my youngest son. 🚜 😊

“Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from Him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies.”

Psalm 127: 3-5

Are We Born Guilty of Sin?

"We are born spotless. There is no human ever born sinful, as if he were already a sinner by virtue of his constitution. God does not create like this. Every human being is born pure, as Adam was fashioned pure. Yet we are touched by sin from the very beginning. By the time we open our eyes to the world, the sinfulness of the world is already having an impact on us."
- Bishop Irenei of London & Western Europe (ROCOR)

We Are Born Sinless

"Blessed be God, who alone does wonderful things! You have seen how numerous are the gifts of baptism. Although many men think that the only gift it confers is the remission of sins, we have counted its honors to the number of ten. It is on this account that we baptize even infants, although they are sinless, that they may be given the further gifts of sanctification, justice, filial adoption, and inheritance, that they may be brothers and members of Christ, and become dwelling places for the Spirit."
- St. John Chrysostom, Baptismal Instructions, Third Instruction

Baptism restores the innocency we had as infants

At the conception of a child, when the soul of the infant is formed, it is pure and without sin. According to St. John Chrysostom, when an adult is baptized, his sins are washed away, and his soul becomes as innocent as the soul of a newly conceived infant:

"the soul of the baptized [is] purer than the very sun-beams, and such as it was originally formed"
— St. John Chrysostom, Homily 40 on 1 Corinthians