Scripture/Sermon of the Day. February 15, 2026
Matthew 17:1-9
The Transfiguration
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and
led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before
them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as
light. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.
4 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you
wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one
for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud
overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, the
Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 6 When the disciples
heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus
came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8 And when
they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one
about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Reflection/Sermon:
I. I’m guessing that, for many of us, when we hear this story of the
Transfiguration of Jesus Christ — we think of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl
halftime show last Sunday. Am I right? When you see Jesus transfigured, do
you see Bad Bunny too? Because he was also transfigured as he performed
there in Levi’s Stadium, in Santa Clara, California.
II. Bunny’s real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, and he was there,
every word Spanish and there was no translation on the screen — with three
disciples: Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga, and Cardi B.
Some of the ways Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio is like Jesus are:
Jesus (probably) and Benito have dark hair and a beard
They’re (about) the same age — 31
Jesus didn’t speak English, and Bad Bunny didn’t speak it in his halftime
show.
They’re are not white
But most important and the way they are most alike — Their message of love
is for everyone — not just Americans. God — not America or anything else —
first.
III. The message and show of Bad Bunny was so joyful and all-inclusive and
embracing of everyone, and so filled with compassion and great music — it
was hard to sit still watching it. I bet even the ICE agents who were at
the stadium couldn’t resist tapping their feet and moving with the powerful
rhythm.
In the part of the show where Bunny recognized every country in North and
South America — people waved a flag from each of those countries — and after
each nation was recognized, he said, "God Bless America!"
Rolling Stone reported:
“This was a powerful rebuke to the exclusionary rhetoric coming from
conservatives that Bad Bunny was not American enough to perform at the
halftime show, and that Latinos in general are suspicious foreigners who aim
to destroy “real American” ways of life. Instead, Bad Bunny proudly declared
that America is much more than the United States, and that the United States
would not be what it is without Latino and Caribbean immigrants.
A giant billboard behind Bad Bunny flashed the words: “THE ONLY THING MORE
POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE.”
IV. Words that Jesus taught and lived by. JESUS AND BAD BUNNY — BOTH
TRANSFIGURED BY GOD’S LOVE. As we are.
V. As Jesus was transfigured, he stood between Moses and Elijah — Moses
representing the Law, and Elijah representing the prophets. Which recalls a
moment shortly before he was executed when someone in the crowd asked Jesus:
“Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus said,
“YOU MUST LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,
and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39
And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.
40 ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS DEPEND ON THESE TWO COMMANDS.” (Mtt. 22)
VI. There were two halftime shows last Sunday. One proclaimed this greatest
command to love God and neighbor and self— and one didn’t.
I pray that our lives will be guided by the command to love God and our
neighbor — especially our neighbors without legal status in this country who
want to stay.
Jesus said when we love the stranger — the foreigner — we love him.