Lent 2025 Day 25

Mpho Andrea Tutu van Furth, Priest and Activist
Ephesians 2:14-22 | Luke 15:1-10

Rev. Mpho Andrea Tutu van Furth is a South African priest, writer, and activist who carries on the legacy of her father, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, while forging her own path as a leader for justice, reconciliation, and radical love. As an Anglican priest, she has spoken out for LGBTQ+ inclusion in the church, for racial justice, and for a theology that affirms the dignity of all people. However, despite her deep faith and lifelong service, she faced exclusion from the priesthood after marrying her wife, a reminder that the church still struggles to embody the radical hospitality of Christ.

The words of Ephesians 2:14-22 speak directly to the kind of reconciliation and inclusion that Andrea embodies. Paul reminds us that in Christ, all divisions are broken down. No longer Jew or Gentile, outsider or insider—Christ has torn down the walls that separate us. Yet, as Andrea’s own life demonstrates, human structures often seek to rebuild those walls, deciding who belongs and who does not. Her commitment to living fully into her calling despite institutional rejection is a testimony to the power of God’s peace to overcome hostility.

Luke 15:1-10 offers two parables of seeking and finding—the lost sheep and the lost coin. These stories reveal the extravagant love of God, a love that does not wait for the lost to return on their own but actively goes out to find them. Jesus tells these parables to religious leaders who were scandalized by the company he kept. In the same way, Andrea’s ministry has been a witness to God’s relentless pursuit of those who have been marginalized by the very institutions meant to embody grace.

Lent is a season of return, a time when we are reminded that no one is beyond the reach of God’s love. It is also a time of reckoning, when we must ask whether we are part of the community that rejoices when the lost are found—or whether we are still clinging to the dividing walls Christ has already broken down. Andrea challenges us to live into a faith that truly embraces all, rejoicing in the boundless love of God.

Reflection:

• What dividing walls still exist in the church today? How can you be part of breaking them down? 
• Where in your life do you see God actively seeking the lost and rejoicing when they are found? 
• How does Andrea’s life challenge you to love more radically? 

Breath Prayer: Inhale: You are our peace… Exhale: …Breaking down every wall.

May this Lenten season open our hearts to God’s reconciling love and call us to live as people of radical inclusion.

Amen.