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At the Super Bowl this year, the halftime performer Bad Bunny offered a line that stayed with many of us long after the game ended: the only thing more powerful than hate is love. That message aligns beautifully with this Sunday’s Gospel reading from Matthew, the story of the Transfiguration. On the mountain, Jesus is revealed in dazzling light, not as a ruler who dominates, but as God’s Beloved, grounded in love and relationship. When the voice from the cloud says, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” it is less of a command and more like an invitation. In a world that is often quick to reward outrage and division, the Gospel gently points us toward a different kind of power, one rooted in love that has the capacity to transform how we see God, one another, and even ourselves.
This moment comes at just the right time as we prepare to enter the holy time of Lent together. Next week, Shrove Tuesday (join us for pancakes!) and Ash Wednesday (get your ash in church!) will invite us to slow down and get honest about what we are carrying and what we might need to let go of. Lent is not about punishment or perfection. Rather, it is about making room for God’s love to do its work in us. As we move into this season, where might love be stronger than hate, fear, resentment, or fatigue in your life? How might listening more closely to Jesus reshape the weeks ahead? The light revealed on the mountain does not disappear. It goes with us, guiding us into Lent with hope, humility, and love at the center.
~Nelson+
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