Sermon for a Family Day Service, Diocese of Eswatini

Family Day Service, Diocese of Eswatini

30th November 2025

Readings: Isaiah 2: 1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13: 11-14; Matthew 24: 36 -44

May I speak in the name of God, who is Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Amen.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, people of God in the Diocese of Eswatini, it is an honour and a privilege to have been asked to share with you the Word of God here at today's service. Thank you to you, Bishop Dalcy, to your leadership team and the whole community for inviting me to join your Family Weekend—it's been a joyous and inspiring time for me following a busy schedule in the Eastern Cape, to come and visit you here. Thank you too to those who have worked hard to prepare for the weekend. A special welcome to our distinguished guests, fellow clergy, and to all of you, the whole wonderful diocesan family.

On our visit we have already had the privilege of attending the lecture our family foundation sponsors at the university. This lecture was truly a remarkable opportunity, a gift, if you will, that we were fortunate to experience. The speaker placed significant emphasis on the idea of congruency; specifically, he highlighted the importance of aligning our professed values with our actions in the public sphere. He conveyed a critical message: we cannot loudly proclaim certain ideals, principles, and values without embodying them through our own behaviours and choices in everyday life. It was indeed a valuable gift for all of us present.

After the lecture wrapped up, we had the privilege of visiting Mrs. Mabuza, where we spent quality time in Bishop Mabuza's chapel and his home. This visit was not just a social call; it was an opportunity to reconnect with the community and understand the lived experiences of the people there. In discussing the Mabuza story, I made sure to draw a vivid picture of our journey to their location. We encountered a road that was muddy, caked with clay, and fraught with heavy rain upon our arrival. This imagery was intentional; it served to stress the importance of truly connecting with the people of this country on the ground and acknowledging the challenges they face. I believe that learning from those who have walked this road before us is an essential part of understanding the complexities of life in Eswatini. Moreover, this experience stood as a subtle reminder of the stark inequalities that persist within the country. While the main roads are well-constructed and maintained, taking a detour led us into areas where we could deeply feel, taste, and even smell the significant challenges faced by many in Eswatini.

We also visited the Usutu Mission, where we learned more about the history of the diocese's initiation of the Mission, and inspected and blessed their farm, which is thriving and productive. I also unveiled a plaque commemorating the irrigation process that makes it possible for this farm to flourish. It truly is a beautiful property, full of water and lush greenery, and the project not only underlines the critical issue of being self-sufficient in food, but is also a tribute to those who invested in the farm in the past. The legacy they left behind continues to benefit us in the present and will undoubtedly serve as a sustainable resource for the church in the future.

Following our time at the farm, we proceeded to bless the newly-established hostel for female university students, a vision conceived by Bishop Ellinah. This residence is now open and accommodating students, which was a joy to witness. The hostel provides essential housing for female students and contributes meaningfully to education in Eswatini, a nation often characterized by its patriarchal societal structures. During the blessing ceremony, it was heart-warming to see the students in attendance, alongside a representative member of the student body who joined us. We also unveiled yet another plaque, reinforcing the themes of continuity and discontinuity. Bishop Ellinah had a vision that went beyond mere contemplation; she actively mobilized others to help bring that vision to reality. Educating women is not just a noble cause; it is integral to transforming the future landscape of the kingdom.

We then proceeded to the poignant act of de-consecrating the old mission church, a tiny yet charming church. I have always found the service of de-consecration to be remarkably brief, straightforward, and almost stark in its nature, yet the prayers offered were profoundly touching, and the experience helped to affirm the continuity represented by the growth which called for a much larger and also a beautifully constructed church. We celebrated the thoughtful design of the new church, which is shaped like a cross, the use of natural light and sunshine making it rely less on artificial light and serving to enhance its beauty.

God be praised for your mission outreach! Your Diocese's ministry in service and witness through God’s love and grace in this part of God's world is inspiring, and our congratulations as a Province go to Bishop Darcy and to all those dedicated to expanding the Kingdom of God in Eswatini. As Isaiah urges us in Chapter 2, do continue to encourage one another in the love of the Lord, just as you have done throughout the history of this Diocese, from the time when it was part of the Diocese of Zululand, to the current day. You have inspired us all in this Province with your mission and ministry, situated as you are in a traditional setting, reaching out to your brothers and sisters in your nation and beyond. Continue to be inspired to preach the Word of God, and to live out the Gospel in your context, for—as we heard in today's reading—“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” (Is. 2:3)

The Gospel reading we heard today (Matthew 24:36ff) gives us an account of the fall of Jerusalem and what will happen at Jesus’ second coming, emphasising the need to be alert, and to live in faith in view of the coming judgement. It embodies a warning to us, that we will be condemned by the Son of Man at His sudden coming unless we repent, underlining our responsibility not only to live in, and give witness to others of, the love of our Lord, but to reach out and serve others. Here, Matthew is simply saying we should practise humility and serve others, not because of any prestige or reward we might get but for its own sake. It is a plain piece of advice in line with Jesus’s other teachings, condemning the attitude of doing good in the expectation of receiving either a tangible, earthly reward or even a heavenly reward.

Sisters and brothers, the point being made here is that we should seek to do good to all, including to those who cannot give anything in return, and leave the question of recompense or reward to God. As Paul says in his Letter to the Romans, “the only thing you should owe to anyone is love for one another, for to love the other person is to fulfil the law.” (Romans 13:8, New Jerusalem Bible) If we turn to, and live in the faith of our Lord, we will live in the righteousness demanded by God’s love for us and our world, a love which finds expression in God’s law. Each one of us, no matter our gender, our race, our sexual orientation or our station in life—no matter whether we are rich or poor, prominent or obscure—each one of us has the privilege of looking with unveiled faces upon the glory of the Lord our God as revealed in Christ.

Just as the readings from Isaiah and Matthew challenged people of their time, and continue to challenge us today, so too do the verses from Paul which we heard today. (Romans (13:11-14). Reminding us of the approaching return of the Lord, Paul admonishes us to wake up, to throw off everything that belongs to the darkness, and to be up and doing, living more intensely the Christian life in its dynamic love.

As the people of this Diocese, as the people of Eswatini, as the people of ACSA, what can we draw from today’s readings? What do they say to us in the here and now?

The Bible tells us that God wants us to work for a world in which there is unity, in which there is harmony, in which there is fellowship; a world in which communion with one another is a vibrant, lived experience. But God’s vision was turned upside down when sin came into the world, when instead of unity, harmony and fellowship, their opposites prevailed—disunity, enmity and alienation one from another. So God sent into the world his only beloved Son to die for us and our sins, to reconcile us both with God and with one another.

A few weeks ago, I participated in a world-wide Anglican Communion webinar on the Lambeth Conference's Call to reconciliation. What we focussed on there was the idea that reconciliation cannot simply be shouted into existence from a distance; it requires direct, eyeball-to-eyeball engagement. We cannot just take a painkiller and expect the persistent headaches stemming from our societal challenges to vanish. True reconciliation, as discussed in that Lambeth Call, demands rigorous effort, justice, and collaborative work. We cannot afford to merely paint over the cracks and hope for the best; superficial solutions will not suffice to address the deep-seated issues we face.

It seems to me the message of today’s readings and indeed of the whole Bible and of our faith is clear: if, in each of our parishes, and in our Dioceses, we turn our faces towards the Lord, and towards what God desires for us and our neighbour, we will be moved, indeed inspired by God, to set aside our divisions, our differences, and to reach out to one another in humility, seeking to understand one another’s point of view, looking for common ground, emphasising what we share and what we agree upon, and seeking to set aside that on which we disagree.

Similarly in the world beyond the sanctuaries of our church buildings: in this nation, as in any nation, and also between nations, our faith calls on us to examine ourselves, our own communities, our practices and our policies, and to identify that which prevents us from working to promote and realise God’s values in society. Again, just as within the church, in the world outside the church God has sent us a Saviour to point the way towards reconciliation, a true reconciliation that will be based on equality, on equal opportunities for all, on justice, peace and the promotion of the common good. In those memorable words from John’s Gospel: The thief—and we may take the thief here to mean the coming of sin into the world—the thief comes only to steal and kill, but Jesus came that we might have life, and have life to the full, in abundance. (Jn. 10:10)

Returning to the core of our celebration today as we gather, which is to celebrate Diocesan Family Day. What is a family in Jesus’s eyes? A family consists of those who are doing the will of God (Matt. 12:50). In other words, the relationships that count are not physical, but moral and spiritual. Our aim must be to belong with Jesus to the family of our one Father in heaven and to do God's will. It is my hope that we can be that family of Jesus.

In closing, let us recall the words of Paul to the Ephesians: ”Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom of God will ever see me again. I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with His own blood. I now commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.’ (Acts 20:25ff)

Dear people of Eswatini, congratulations on organising such a wonderful weekend, full of celebrations as a diocesan family. I invite you to turn to loving ways and to become conduits of God's peace. God loves you, and so do I. God bless this Diocese, this Province, this country and the world. Amen.

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