The rich fool

The rich fool of Jesus' sermon to the multitude (St. Luke 12:16-21) had so many things that lured him away from his God. Be warned! This man was like Solomon, the king who had everything: exotic animals, horses, riches, purple and fine linen. But Solomon fell away from the true faith and into idolatry. By the grace of God he was brought back in his late years, and wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, in which he uttered the warning: "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth." So let us be on guard against the riches and cares of this life, and not suppose that our life consists in those things which we possess. For this is folly, as God said to the rich man, who ended up destitute; and Jesus warns here: So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Sermon for Midweek after Trinity Octave.