More than we Deserve [Proper 22A]
The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Matthew 21:33-46 More than we deserve What do you think you deserve? Maybe a nicer home, a bigger paycheck, more respect, a promotion, perhaps? What do you think you deserve? This is the piece I find most fascinating, and disturbing, about today’s Gospel reading from Matthew. I mean, there is plenty of disturbing to go around. It’s actually a very violent story. But in a chilling twist, the parable ends with the owner of the vineyard sending his son, his heir, into the vineyard to collect the produce and the tenants kill the son. The reason they kill the son is because they think, with the heir out of the picture, the owner of the vineyard will will the vineyard to them – that they would be next in line. Through some kind of twisted logic they convince themselves that the vineyard owner will reward their murderous tendencies, will treat them as sons. After all, for all of their hard w...