The Deflectors of the Passion: Resisting the Cost of Love | Perspectives FUMSD Pastors Podcast S3E28
Mar 29, 2026
Summary
In this Lenten episode of Perspectives, Revs. Trudy D. Robinson and Dr. Hannah Ka explore Matthew 26:6–13, the story of the unnamed woman who anoints Jesus—and the uncomfortable truth it reveals about us: Why do we deflect when truth feels painful? Why do we “help” in ways that actually protect our own comfort?
Detail
In this Lenten episode of Perspectives, Revs. Trudy D. Robinson and Dr. Hannah Ka explore Matthew 26:6–13, the story of the unnamed woman who anoints Jesus—and the uncomfortable truth it reveals about us: Why do we deflect when truth feels painful? Why do we “help” in ways that actually protect our own comfort?
As the disciples criticize what they call waste, one woman embodies a radically different response: acceptance, courage, and costly love.
This conversation invites us to confront a difficult question: Are we avoiding the truth… even when we know it deep down?
Join the female pastors of First United Methodist Church of San Diego to explore:
- Why we instinctively deflect in moments of discomfort
- How “helping” can sometimes hide our own agenda
- The difference between surface peace and truthful love
- What it means to accept reality—even when it hurts
- Why love, in the way Jesus models it, always costs something
This is part of our Lenten series, The People of the Passion, where we reflect on the figures surrounding Jesus’ journey to the cross—and what they reveal about who we are today.
Continue the conversation by reflecting with someone you trust or join the Perspectives community online via Patreon or in person at the weekly Convergence Discussion Group.
Reflection questions for Lent:
- When have you had a meaningful experience you didn't know how to interpret?
- Where do you notice yourself deflecting to avoid conflict or protect yourself?
- What helps you with acceptance?
Limited on time? Jump ahead to these pivotal moments.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction: Love, discomfort, and deflection
01:04 Scripture Reading – Matthew 26, verses 6–13
02:09 Why this story resists easy explanation
04:23 The disciples’ deflection vs. the woman’s clarity
06:20 How the story changes across the Gospels
13:44 Deflection as a human survival instinct
16:52 A modern story: when “helping” hides our agenda
21:55 The cost of love & Lenten reflection questions
