If we’re lucky, we’ll find moments in life when we feel completely in tune with God’s presence—when we experience joy, clarity, or a deep sense of purpose. These mountaintop moments remind us of God’s glory. Yet, as much as we might cherish them, life is not lived solely on the mountaintop. We must come down into the valley, where struggle and uncertainty await.
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain, and suddenly, everything changes. His face shines like the sun, his clothes gleam, and he stands with Moses and Elijah. Peter wants to stay in this moment of glory, but Jesus leads them back down, where suffering and struggle still await. The transfiguration is a glimpse of God’s ultimate reality—one that will reshape everything, even the way of the cross.
A woman with a reputation enters Simon the Pharisee’s house. She carries no words, only her tears. Kneeling at Jesus’ feet, she pours out costly perfume—an extravagant display of love. Simon is scandalized, but Jesus sees her differently. He tells a parable of two debtors: one forgiven little, one forgiven much. “Who will love more?” Jesus asks. The answer is clear. Her love is evidence of the mercy that has already rewritten her story.