368. Proper 20 (Series A)

This Sunday in the LSB 3-year series falls somewhee between Sept. 18 and 24. Lessons are Isaiah 55:6-9, Philippians 1:12-14 skipping to 19-30, and Matthew 20:1-16. In case you're following along, we've now progressed past the series of Epistle lessons taken from Romans; during the last 10 Sundays of the Series A, you get four cuttings from Philippians, then five from 1 Thessalonians and a concluding Epistle lesson from 1 Corinthians. Meanwhile, the lectio continua from Matthew runs the clock down all the way to game.

For the tune, I'm going with one of at least two melodies titled JESUS CHRISTUS, UNSER HEILAND, written for Jan Hus's communion hymn, "Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior." This one, a 13th century melody, comes into Lutheranism in the Erfurt Enchiridion of 1524, and was used (at least as an alternative to the other tune by the same name) in the 1970s Australian Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship and Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary. I fondly recall LW's "celebration" combining the two tunes in alternatim, something I've missed since LSB came out. Turns out it's a ridiculously difficult meter in which to write verse; but I cheated a bit by shortening a melisma in the second phrase and adding a syllable to the meter. Poetic license, what?

Why be jealous, vineyard workers?
May your Lord not bargain as He would?
Do you have an evil eye,
Seeing your Master's heart is good?

What if God is pleased to proffer
One reward, come early or come late,
Both to those who toiled day long
And those who barely passed the gate?

What if God gives what He promised,
All without regard for what you did?
What if it is His own Son
Wherein your righteousness is hid?

Therefore some who last are counted
Shall be first, and some called first are last.
Though the chosen few decline,
Many are called and hold Him fast.

Hold Him fast, then, who rewards you,
Though Another labored in your stead;
Serve much or serve little, then
Rest till He raise you from the dead.