Text of sermon from Tutu‘s funeral
The text of the sermon by retired Bishop of Natal, the Rt Revd Michael Nuttall delivered at Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s funeral on 1 January 2022 in St George’s Cathedral, Cape Town
“What does the Lord require of you
but to pursue justice, to love kindness
and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
In Desmond Mpilo Tutu this threefold cord was interwoven in a long, lived authenticity. That is why we loved him and respected him and valued him so deeply. Small in physical stature, he was a giant among us morally and spiritually. His faith was authentic, not counterfeit or half-hearted. He lived it, even at great cost to himself, with an inclusive, all-embracing love. His friend, Nelson Mandela, put it perfectly when he said: “Sometimes strident, often tender, never afraid and seldom without humour, Desmond Tutu’s voice will always be the voice of the voiceless.”