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18 Septiembre, 2011 Iglesia Luterana Cristo Rey El Paso, Texas Rev. Dr. Dena Williams Mateo 20:116 El Santo Evangelio segun la communidad de San Mateo en Capitulo Veinte Gloria a tu, Senor 20:1 Porque el reino de los cielos es semejante a un hombre, padre de familia, que salio por la manana a contratar obreros para su vina. "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 20:2 Y habiendo convenido con los obreros en un denario al dia, los envio a su vina. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 20:3 Saliendo cerca de la hora tercera del dia, vio a otros que estaban en la plaza desocupados; When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 20:4 y les dijo: Id tambien vosotros a mi vina, y os dare lo que sea justo. Y ellos fueron. and he said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. 20:5 Salio otra vez cerca de las horas sexta y novena, e hizo lo mismo. When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. 20:6 Y saliendo cerca de la hora undecima, hallo a otros que estaban desocupados; y les dijo: Por que estais agui todo el dia desocupados? 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?' 20:7 Le dijeron: Porque nadie nos ha contratado. El les dijo: Id tambien vosotros a la vina, y recibireis lo que sea justo. They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.' 20:8 Cuando llego la noche, el senor de la vina dijo a su mayordomo: Llama a los obreros y pagales el jornal, comenzando desde los postreros hasta los primeros. 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.' 20:9 Y al venir los que habian ido cerca de la hora undecima, recibieron cada uno un denario. When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 20:10 Al venir tambien los primeros, pensaron que havian de recibir mas; pero tambien ellos recibieron cada uno un denario.

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Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 20:11 Y al recibirio, murmuraban contra el padre de familia, And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 20:12 diciendo; Estos postreros han trabajado una sola hora, y los has hecho iguales a nosotros, que hemos soportado la carga y el calor del dia. 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.' 20:13 El, respondiendo, dijo a uno de ellos; Amigo, no te hago agravio; No conviniste conmigo en un denario? 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? 20:14 Toma lo que es tuyo, y vete; pero quiero dar a este postrero, como a ti. Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 20:15 No me es licito hacer lo que quiero con lo mio? O tienes tu envidia, porque yo soy bueno? Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 20:16 Asi, los primeros seran postreros, y los postreros primeros. So the last will be first, and the first will be last." El Evangelio de Senor (Praise to you, O Christ) Its Not Fair! The disciples, including our friend from this summer, our friend Peter, are questioning Jesus about their reward. They want to know if, because they are such faithful followers, they want to know, if they will receive a just reward. Jesus assures them that will be the case. He speaks of thrones in heaven, a hundred fold reward, and eternal life. Then Jesus says something else. He cautions his disciples. He says, But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. Yes, the first will be last, and the last will be first. Eyebrows are raised at this remark. That doesnt sound fair!

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Skepticism sets in. Before his followers can ask, What do you mean by that?, Jesus tells a story. This is what the kingdom of heaven is like. The owner of the vineyard needs workers. Todays the day; the grapes are just perfect for picking. Its harvest time and if he doesnt get the crop in soon the fruit of his labor will rot on the vine. The owner goes to the village square early in the morning. Thats where the day laborers hang out, waiting for jobs. These arent people who hold a regular job. Theyre the leftovers, the people no one will hire long term. The owner looks around the marketplace and chooses the most likely people. He chooses the youngest and strongest. He promises to pay the workers the usual daily wageone denarius. Its not a lot of moneya denarius would buy about 10 or 12 loaves of bread. Not a lot of money, but the difference between survival and starvation for a family. The first chosen workers are sent to the vineyard. And the harvest begins. It soon becomes clear to the owner that hes going to need more workers. The harvest is excellent, much better than he anticipated. The owner goes back to the marketplace at 9:00. He looks around. Everyone is harvesting this week and the selection of workers is small. But there are some who came late. Most of the vineyard owners have come and gone, and now these guys are standing around with nothing to do. They came late to the square but they look healthy. The owner promises to pay them whatever is right. So they go to the vineyard. As the sun gets hotter and hotter, a conversation with his manager convinces the owner that even more workers will be needed. Once more, about noon, and then again about 3:00, the owner goes to the marketplace. By now, the only workers left are old and weak. He hires them anyway and off they go to the vineyard. About 5:00 the owner figures out that with just a few more hands, the harvest could be finished by sundown. So leaving his manager in charge, he hurries back to the square to see if there are any workers left. There are a few workers milling around. Theyre an unlikely bunch. He asks, Why are you standing here idle all day? They say to him, Because no one hired us.

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And I can see why, he thinks to himself. These guys are really tattered and torn. They look hung over, as though they were drinking the fruit of the vine the night before and just crawled out of bed. But the owner is anxious to get the harvest over with today, so he hires them anyway. Go to the vineyard. The sun sets just as the last grapes are picked and hauled in the wagon to the winery. The owner sighs and smiles with relief. Another year, another great harvest, a promise of wine to sell and guaranteed income for another year. It was a very good day and he is feeling generous. He says to his manager, Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first. Now he could save himself a lot of trouble here. He knew what he was going to do. It would make some sense to pay the first, let them go on their way, and then pay the last. But no, the last were called first. Those who came at 5:00 received one denarius. Those who came at 3:00 received one denarius. Those who came at noon . . . one denarius. Those who came at 9:00 . . . one denarius. When the first came, the workers who came early in the morning, they were excited. If he paid the last one denarius, they were sure he would pay them even more than the denarius they were promised. The first, the ones who came early in the morning . . . one denarius. The first began to grumble: These last who came at 5:00, only worked one hour, and you paid them exactly what you paid us and we worked through the scorching midday heat! Thats not fair! 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? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' Then Jesus said, So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Seems there is a young man

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who recently graduated with honors from a Denver high school. He wants to go to college. His dad worked really hard doing manual labor to provide for him, his mom, and his four brothers and sisters. He is accepted at Colorado University, but there is no money for him to attend. His parents cannot afford to pay for college. He is not eligible for loans or scholarships, or even for the reduced tuition paid by residents of Colorado. Even though he has lived in Colorado from the time he was a small child, even though he has graduated with honors, he is not eligible for financial aid or resident tuition? His mother and father are good people: work hard, pay taxes, teach their children responsibility, encourage them to do well in school. His father has worked for low wages in a job that people with a choice do not choose. Why? Why is there no financial assistance or in-state tuition break for this bright, capable, hard working young man? Why? Because his family is among the last to come to this country. Some really were here first, our Native American brothers and sisters, and in the Southwest, people from Mexico. They were here early in the morning. Most families came decades ago from Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Norway, Italy, Japan, China, and many other countries. Some entered the country legally. Some were turned away at Ellis Island and other ports of entry. Some, including white Europeans, found nefarious ways to enter the country. They came at 9:00. Still others from Africa were forced to come and work as slaves in this country. They came at noon. Then those from Viet Nam and Cambodia and other war torn countries came seeking safety and peace. They came at 3:00. Some were here early, some came at nine, some at noon, some at three. They all came believing that the words inscribed on the Statue of Liberty Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. are words to live by in the United States of America. But our young man, now ready for college? He and his family did not come until 5:00. And when they did come, they crossed without documents from Mexico. They are the last to come. Immigration is a complex issue. There are no easy answers.

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There are many sides to a wide variety of questions. As fair-minded people, some Americans, might say, Well, too bad, the young mans family broke the law and they have to pay. They really deserve to be deported. These fair-minded people might be afraid, afraid their country will be overrun by these foreigners. That is what some fair-minded people might say. As loved children of a generous God a God who fills our lives with grace, fills our lives with unearned goodness, some Americans find it inside ourselves to extend grace and mercy to others, including a family of undocumented people, a family that came last to the vineyard. Fair minded people often find themselves torn between their longing for something they call fairness, and their desire to act in graceful, merciful ways. When our generosity wins out over our need for fairness, then we honor our God, our God who so generously extends grace and mercy to us every day of our lives, even on the days when we are the ones who come last to the vineyard. We? Me? When did I come last to the vineyard, when do I need Gods grace and mercy? When? Everyday of my fair-minded life. For I, too, come last to Gods vineyard, I come late, with empty hands, hoping for Gods love and mercy, Gods grace and forgiveness. Amen