THE NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
9th October 2026
Greetings,
With temperatures falling to something more seasonal and boilers being fired up, it looks like we've reached that time of year when heating engineers are in relentless demand. Stay warm, we often say to others, fear of the cold being not just a primal hangover but an enduring reality. Failing boilers are a nuisance but not so great a worry as the soaring energy bills, which mean that for some people there is that stark choice between staying solvent and staying warm. For those of us fortunate enough not to be in that position, fuel poverty, so often hidden in plain sight, is something to be mindful of over the coming months. As also, is homelessness, a problem which many of us tend to equate solely with rough sleeping. This, however, is the tip of the iceberg. The majority of homeless people are sofa-surfing or in temporary shelter. It's a problem with multiple causes, not least of which are addiction and relationship breakdown. We'll hear more about this on Sunday from The Revd. Pam Wise of the Poole-based charity Routes to Roots, which does remarkable work among those whose lives have plumbed the depths of despair.
Sunday's gospel (Matthew 22.1-14) focusses on God's invitation to those on the margins. It's the parable of the wedding feast containing that famous command to go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in. God's love is capacious and there is more than sufficient warmth in the heart of God to make a home for all comers. But the invitation must be heard. And there is a warning too. Those who respond must be generous themselves. A home in the heart of God cannot be taken for granted, the only appropriate response being the constant orientation of the heart toward thanksgiving and sharing. We are bearers of good news and must do all in our God-given power to bring life and warmth, physical and spiritual, to the many who are lost in the world today.
Blessings,
Charles Booth
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