parable of the vineyard workers

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first thoughts - thinking about the parable of the vineyard workers - always a difficult one.

This story is always seen as metaphor, never as literal. Who would do this? What would it mean for us if we take it seriously, as literal ? Is the labor the work we do for the church, and the denarius our ticket into heaven? Is this an argument for socialism (I would love to preach that!) Preachers get hung up on the fairness issue, on the psychology of the individual who resents the late comers who get paid the same. Can this be preached without that discussion of fairness and rights and privilege?

Think differently – is this a parable about getting into heaven? Jesus says it is about the Kingdom of heaven, and the last sentence connects it to God’s gracious acceptance of the children and the poor. Could this be a parable about living in the community, about here and now? About gracious acceptance of each other for who we are, for what we can do, looking at each other with our quirks and faults and failures and seeing that God’s kingdom is among us?

Again and again – who you are in this life does not get you into heaven. Does not make you a citizen of the Kingdom of God. What you do – good deeds – does not get you there. Hearing the preaching gets you there. Accepting the invitation. Coming along on the vineyard express. Being part of the community of faith-work.

Parables can be negative examples. The ungrateful steward is one, here is another one.

I'm working in a hidden time of stress and anger, in a micro-climate of frustration and pending change. What is the good word?
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