A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 16 – A

September 24, 2017

Matthew 20:1-16 - NRSV

The Laborers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage,[a] he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ 7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ 9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage.[b] 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage.[c] 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ 13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?[d] 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’[e] 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”[f]

Footnotes:

Matthew 20:2 Gk a denarius

Matthew 20:9 Gk a denarius

Matthew 20:10 Gk a denarius

Matthew 20:13 Gk a denarius

Matthew 20:15 Gk is your eye evil because I am good?

Matthew 20:16 Other ancient authorities add for many are called but few are chosen

A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 16 - A

Go Figure (or Go Ask Alice)

"So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

God’s Kingdom is like: “Workers in a Vineyard.”

And we want to turn it into labor relations

or that Jesus ‘really did not mean it.’

Should not the working poor

be subject to drug tests

before receiving SNAP?

Should not 800,000

young laborer Dreamers

be deported not afforded

amnesty since they are

so late in working in the vineyard?

How dare we make

sure that all citizens

have health care

when the pre-existent ones

are so late in coming!

Does not this parable

call out our presumed justice

and lack of mercy for the ‘Others’

and the least of these?

How dare the Divine show her mercy

by equal payment for late comers

while I worked all day in God’s vineyard?

How oft we protect our privileged position

rather than live out divine grace and mercy.

Many a preacher has been run out of town

and that first Rabbi crucified for announcing

the radical reversals in God’s Kingdom.

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