Sunday Homily on Ephesians 2:4-10 and Luke 12:16-21
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,
There were two builders, each had to build a house. The first builder, James, is handed a complete blueprint and all the materials he needs. He knows the house is not his idea; it is a gift. His gratitude fuels him to build carefully, trusting the plan. The second builder, Thomas, has no such help. He gathers stones and wood on his own, convinced he must prove himself by building the grandest house in the village.
James represents the person who understands grace. Like Paul writes in Ephesians 2:4-10, he knows that it is not his own efforts that provide salvation but God’s mercy and love. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (v. 
. James knows that his work building a life of good deeds flows from the foundation already laid by Christ. The house he builds reflects his gratitude for what has already been given. His joy is in following the plan, knowing that it is all a response to God’s gift of salvation.
Thomas, on the other hand, represents the rich fool from Jesus’ parable in Luke 12:16-21. He labours tirelessly, gathering treasures for himself, convinced he is building something great. His thoughts echo the rich man’s: “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry” (v. 19). But Thomas’s work is without trust in God or recognition of His provision. When a storm comes, his house collapses, and he is left with nothing. Like the fool in the parable, he is rich in his own eyes but poor toward God.
The difference between the two builders is their foundation. James builds on Christ, trusting in God’s plan and grace. His work reflects a life saved and transformed by faith. Thomas builds on his own ambitions, seeking security in what he can achieve. When tested, his efforts crumble because they lack the solid foundation of faith in God.
What do these readings we heard today, and James and Thomas teach us, and how do they shape our understanding of the life we are called to live as Christians? Let us consider these profound lessons in the light of the teachings of the Holy Fathers.
The Apostle Paul tells us that it is by grace we are saved, through faith, and this is not our own doing, it is the gift of God. St John Chrysostom, in his commentary on this passage, marvels at the “ineffable riches” of God’s mercy. He writes: “For when it was impossible for us to ascend to Him, He came down to us. And not only did He come down, but He raised us up and seated us with Himself.” And yet, while salvation is a gift, we are called to respond to it with gratitude and a life worthy of the Gospel and ear our salvation everyday by obeying the Gospel.
The rich man in the Gospel parable is called a fool because he placed his trust in temporal riches, saying to his soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12:19). He lived as if his life consisted only in the abundance of his possessions, forgetting the eternal destiny of his soul. St Basil the Great warns us about such attachment to wealth: “The bread in your cupboard belongs to the hungry; the coat hanging unused in your closet belongs to the one who needs it; the shoes rotting in your house belong to the one who has no shoes.” The rich man’s sin was not simply that he was wealthy, but that he used his wealth for himself alone. He hoarded the blessings of God and forgot the commandment to love his neighbour. In contrast, the mercy of God teaches us to be merciful to others, for in serving the poor, we are serving Christ Himself.
If God is rich in mercy, then we are called to be rich in Him. What does it mean to be rich in God? St Isaac the Syrian offers us this wisdom: “Be a herald of God’s goodness, for God governs His creation with love. Do not doubt that God loves you, but instead reflect that the love of God requires a response of love in return.” To be rich in God is to fill our hearts with His love, to be generous with the gifts He has given us, and to set our hope on the kingdom that will not pass away. This is the treasure that does not rust or decay, the treasure stored in heaven.
The parable of the rich fool ends with a solemn warning: “So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21). St Ephrem the Syrian reminds us that the days of our life are fleeting, and we must always be prepared: “Blessed is the man who remembers the fear of the Lord in all he does, for he will walk in uprightness. But woe to the one who forgets his mortality and lives as though this world were eternal.” How then shall we live? We must not be like the rich fool, consumed by worldly anxieties and pleasures. Instead, let us heed the Apostle’s call to walk in the good works that God has prepared for us, living in thanksgiving, humility, and love.
In the Divine Liturgy, we often pray for God’s mercy: “Lord, have mercy.” But what does this mean in our daily lives? To pray for mercy is to acknowledge our dependence on God and to commit ourselves to lives of repentance, faith, and charity. St Gregory the Theologian tells us: “Give something, even if it is very little, to the one in need. For it is not the amount given, but the love of the heart that God values.” Let us, then, be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful. Let us store up treasures in heaven by serving one another in humility, trusting in God’s grace and living with watchful hearts.
Friends, God is truly rich in mercy, and He calls us to share in the abundance of His grace. Let us not be like the rich fool, who stored up treasures for himself but lost his soul. Instead, let us layup treasures in heaven by loving God with all our hearts and our neighbours as ourselves.
And may the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Copyright © 2025 The Rev. Adrian Augustus. The Russian Orthodox Church of the Archangel Michael, Blacktown, NSW.
