Parable of the Vineyard Workers, Revisited

'Parable of the Vineyard Workers' revisited,      Hilary Wenzel     9-20-2026

About a month ago I picked this date to give a message. I checked the Common Lectionary and was delighted to find one of Jesus' great stories in Matthew 20:1-16. I remembered how my first Sunday message used the Parable of the shrewd, dishonest manager in Luke 16:1-13. I saw similarities in that they both address human systems of dealing with each other around money.   And I enjoy their dramatic possibilities.

I had a hiccup two weeks ago when Carolyn Carter spoke on the same passage for Labor Day Weekend.  Kindly, some of you reminded me that more than one approach to scripture is welcome.  So I settled with curiosity to hear her focus.  Now settling can be challenging.  Recently I found an expression that Fr. Richard Rohr likes, "Just this...just this."  It reminds me for the moment to let go of everything that is Not "Just this."

Carolyn stressed the dignity and equal value of all in God's eyes.   She looked at the labor union movement as a corrective struggle to raise workers' rights and wages.  She expressed concern for the nature of work in our changing times.  And she emphasized that workers deserve fair pay and treatment.   Workers deserve to eat.   And workers deserve to rest.   This is an appropriate justice ministry message meant to challenge our hearts and minds and behavior.

My focus is to look closely and deeply at this scripture story... to invite us all to inhabit it,  dwell in it with our hearts and minds.  First I'll share some context around the passage in Matthew.   Then I'll  revisit St. Ignatius of Loyola's prayer of imaginative contemplation. Cathy Zall had us try this recently for Peter's encounter with Jesus walking on the water [Matt 14:22-33].

For context I read the verses immediately before and after our Reading, and then widen my view.   At the end of Ch 19: v30, after the disciples witness his encounter with the rich young man, Jesus shows them that wealth alone is a great disadvantage to entering the kingdom of heaven.  "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."   This expression is mirrored twice in the story of the vineyard workers.  How do we react to this dramatic reversal?...do we hear it with hope or dread or confusion?   Do we know where we stand in the rankings?

And directly after our reading comes Jesus' third prediction of his death in Jerusalem.  The path is becoming clearer and more treacherous to his inner circle even as the acclaim grows.  The disciples must decide what risk they can face and for what reward.  They lobby for position in the kingdom of heaven.  Even the mother of James and John petitions for her sons' special treatment.  Now throughout, Jesus has been continuously teaching what the kingdom of heaven is like and in Ch. 20:v26, he tells them 'whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.'  

Let's set context aside now and let our hearts experience what the kingdom of heaven is like in the Parable of the Vineyard Workers.   

Using St. Ignatius' prayer of imaginative contemplation ...

We settle... and set our intention to be open to the movement of the spirit.

Just this.

We address the story in our chosen passage -

We enter the scene - what do our senses notice? - in the marketplace,  in the vineyard,  what time of day is it?   What's the weather?

We become part of the story - are we one or more of the characters, or an observer?

We let our imagination unfold the story within us - 

     what draws our attention? -

              to whom do we feel connected? -

                   what emotions arise? -

                        Is Jesus talking directly to us? -

                             Do we have a question we want to ask him?

   

We stay in this way for a little while, then -

We conclude this imaginative prayer by noting -

     where we felt closest to someone in the story -

           or if any part offered some insight into our current life -

                or something we are dealing with -

  

Cathy told us that St. Ignatius called this "asking what God is calling us toward."

We can ask this for ourselves and for our church.  If I hadn't stood up with this continuing re-creation of First Church in New London, I might never have engaged with this Parable.... Or I likely would have been confounded and worried over the verses about 'firsts' and 'lasts.'   Our shared practice here has given me new ways to see things,  with my heart and body as well as my mind.  

It may be late in the day, but I know God values all of us equally - you and me and all of creation - human and nonhuman.  And God calls us and welcomes us all to the vineyard to contribute our love to its growth, whatever our skills or character.  

As for church, in the northern hemisphere we are traditionally entering a season of harvest, thanksgiving and discernment of vision and mission and stewardship.  Using the imagination of our minds and hearts can aid in this discernment.  We can meet, and pray and work together to guide our steps and nourish our energy.  We can rely on the Spirit to accompany us in hard times and new ventures.  

I believe this is what really matters...that God is calling us toward our place and our work...in God's kindom.

May It Always Be So!