A43 Skit for Twenty-Fifth
Sunday in Ordinary Time
“It Is Not Fair”
Written by Joan Y. Edwards
Copyright ©2005 Joan Y.
Edwards
Matthew 20:1-16 New American Bible
Characters:
Narrator
Vineyard Owner
Foreman
Dawn Worker 1
Dawn Worker 2 (Sam)
9 o’clock Workers
12 o’clock Noon
Workers
3 o’clock Workers
Two 5 o’clock Workers
Mr. Hill
Older Son
Younger Son
Young Daughter
Judy
Sarah
David
Jean
Narrator:
The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
Vineyard Owner:
I see you two are here early looking for work. I’ll give each of you $120.00 to work in my vineyard picking grapes until 6:00 p.m.
We will be glad to pick grapes until 6:00 p.m. today for $120.00.
Narrator:
At 9:00, 12:00 Noon, and 3:00 the Vineyard Owner went back to the marketplace and found more workers standing around without a job. He said to each of them:
(Have signs saying 6:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 3:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. On the other side the signs say: Worked 12 hours, Worked 9 hours, Worked 6 hours, Worked 3 hours, Worked 1 Hour)
Vineyard Owner:
I’ll give each of you a just salary to work in my vineyard picking grapes until 6:00 p.m.
9:00 Workers:
We’ll be glad to pick grapes until 6:00 p.m. today for a just salary.
(sign saying 3 hours later …walk
across stage)
Vineyard Owner:
I’ll give each of you a just salary to work in my vineyard picking grapes until 6:00 p.m.
12:00
We’ll be glad to pick grapes until 6:00 p.m. today for a just salary.
(sign saying 3 hours later …walk
across stage)
Vineyard Owner:
I’ll give each of you a just salary to work in my vineyard picking grapes until 6:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. Workers:
We’ll be glad to pick grapes until 6:00 p.m. today for a just salary.
(sign saying 2 hours later …walk
across stage)
Narrator
At 5:00 in the afternoon, the Vineyard Owner went back to the marketplace and found 2 more workers standing around without a job.
Vineyard Owner
Why are you standing here at the eleventh hour doing no work at all?
No one has hired us.
We went to five other marketplaces looking for work, but had no luck.
We need money to buy food for our families.
Vineyard Owner
Would you go into my vineyard and work until 6:00 p.m? I will pay you a just wage.
We’ll be glad to work in your vineyard until 6:00 p.m. today for a just wage.
Narrator
When it was 6:00 p.m. on the dot, the owner walked out to the foreman of the workers in his vineyard.
Vineyard Owner
Call the workers and give them the full daily pay, beginning with the last workers and ending with the first workers.
(Foreman goes and gives the 5 o’clock workers $120.00, the usual daily wage. They did cartwheels they were so happy.)
Narrator
He gave the same amount to all of the workers: Three o’clock, Noon, and Nine o’clock. When the foreman came to the two who were hired at Dawn and worked the longest….12 long hours, he heard them talking:
Did you see that? He
gave those who started at
Yes. That is the fair thing to do.
Foreman (to the
Here is your pay. Each of you receives $120.00.
Wait a minute here. That’s not fair.
Yeah, it’s not fair. We worked longer than any of those other workers. We should get paid more.
Foreman
Don’t tell me. I’m just following orders. If you want to grumble, go see the owner of this vineyard.
(Hired Worker Number 1 and 2 walk grouchily over to the landowner to complain. They knock and then barge in when he is eating supper. )
Vineyard Owner (sitting down at supper)
Why are you so angry?
Dawn Worker 1 You paid the last workers the same as you paid us.
We stayed out there working up a sweat for 12 hours picking grapes in 100 degree weather. They only had to sweat for one measly hour. It’s not fair.
Vineyard Owner
(To both workers) It seems you think I cheated you out of money. Both of you agreed to work in my vineyard for the usual daily wage, which was $120. Didn’t you? (Both if them shake their heads, Yes.) Take what is yours and go. It was my money. I can choose to give my money as a gift as I wish. These last two men also needed money to buy food for their families. I wanted to help them.
Vineyard Owner
You think you should have been first, and they should be last. You think you should have gotten the most, and they should have gotten the least. Do not judge others. When you do the last will be first and the first will be last.
Narrator
The owner of the Vineyard may not have been fair, but he was
merciful.
Older Son:
Yes, I will. I’ll rake the leaves, mow the grass, and plant new seeds.
Narrator:
At 4:00 p.m.,
Younger Son:
Yes, I will. I’ll trim the hedges and cut the lowest branches from the trees.
Narrator:
At 5:00 p.m.,
Younger Daughter:
Yes, I will. I will get the weeds out of the flower garden in the front yard.
Narrator:
At the end of the three hours,
Older Son:
That’s not fair.
What’s not fair, my son.
Older Son:
I worked three hours out in the hot son. My younger brother and sister didn’t work as long as I did, yet they got paid the same amount as me.
Didn’t you agree to do yard work for 3 hours for $25.00?
Older Son:
Yes, but since you gave them more, I thought you would give me more, too.
I just appreciated getting all the yard work done that I wanted to give each of you the same amount.
Narrator:
I brought a pack of notebook paper, a box of crayons, and a pair of scissors for the homeless.
Thank you. Come on in.
I brought 3 notebooks, 3 boxes of crayons, and 3 pair of scissors for the homeless, and a bookbag.
Thank you. Come on in.
I’m sorry. I didn’t have any money to buy something for the homeless.
That’s okay. Come on in. You can help me sort and package everything, and take it to the shelter.
That’s not fair to let her in. She didn’t bring anything for the homeless.
This is my party. It is my gift to all I invited. You are right. It is not fair that I let Jean in. But, it is the loving, compassionate thing to do. This is what Jesus would do. It is my choice to follow in his footsteps.
Narrator