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Hello! Thank you for stopping by. You’ve landed on Pilgrim Lent, Day 35. Each day is a story from the life of Christ — from when he left the wilderness to the Transfiguration.

You are invited to walk along, or just listen from your armchair if your motivation, the weather, or your body need you to simply rest instead. Up to you. Just open this newsletter on your Substack app on your phone, press play, and head out the door. You can also hit the download button and download this to your phone, and play it that way.

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The last road before the mountain brought us back to Capernaum — the city where this journey began. A Roman centurion, whose servant was sick and about to die, sent the Jewish elders to Jesus on his behalf. The elders vouched for him: he loves our nation and built our synagogue. Jesus went with them.

Before he reached the house, the centurion sent a second message: Lord, don’t trouble yourself. I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. He explained his reasoning from the world he knew: he was a man under authority, with soldiers under him. He gave orders and they were obeyed. He had looked at Jesus and concluded that this was what his authority was like — the word was enough, distance was no obstacle, presence was not required.

Jesus was amazed. The word used — thaumazo — is the same word used of crowds marveling at miracles. Here, Jesus marvels at a human being. He turned to the crowd and said: I have not found such great faith even in Israel. Not in thirty-nine days of travelling with his disciples. Not in the synagogues and hillsides and lakeshores. In this Roman centurion who trusted the word without needing anything else.

The servant was found well when the messengers returned.

Scripture: Luke 7:1–10 (NLT)

This week’s practices: Prayer, Fasting, and Giving

Prayer: Lord, I welcome this day exactly as it is. I release my need to control what I cannot control. I trust You with all that comes to me today. Three lines, three breaths.

Fasting: Once a week, skip a meal, if it is safe for you to do so. Or give up something meaningful if a full meal fast isn’t possible.

Giving: Set aside what you would have spent on your fasted meal, and give it at the end of the week. Ask what else you can release.

A note on fasting: Please fast only if it is safe for your health. If you have diabetes, a history of disordered eating, are pregnant or nursing, take medications that require food, or have any health condition that affects how your body handles reduced food intake, please speak with your doctor before fasting from full meals. Fasting is meant to be a spiritual gift, not a harm. If a meal fast isn’t right for you, giving up a meaningful food or drink is a full and genuine version of this discipline.

Three Journaling Questions:

The centurion understood authority from the inside — he gave orders and they were obeyed, and he recognised the same quality in Jesus. What does authority mean in your own experience of Jesus? Is it something you have experienced, or something you believe in theoretically? Where is the gap between the two?
Say the word. He asked for nothing except the word — no presence, no touch, no process. He trusted that the word from this source was sufficient for what he needed. What is the thing you are carrying right now that you need a word for? And what would it mean to trust that the word — spoken at a distance, without you witnessing the moment of change — is enough?
I have not found such great faith even in Israel. Jesus named this man’s faith as the greatest he had encountered. It was the faith of someone outside the tradition, reasoning from his own world. What does that say about where great faith is found? And where, in your own ordinary life, have you seen or experienced that kind of trust?

The Optional Companion: The Protestant Luminous Rosary

For those who find rhythm and repetition helpful in prayer, I’ve created a companion tool: The Protestant Luminous Rosary.

This is a 10-decade rosary designed specifically for this Lenten journey, using the traditional Luminous Mysteries as meditation points. It’s entirely optional — the daily devotionals stand alone and are complete without it.

But for those who want an additional layer of contemplative practice, the rosary offers:

A tactile, physical anchor for prayer (beads you can touch, count, return to)
Meditations on Jesus’ life that deepen your connection to his journey here on earth
A structure for those who find unstructured prayer difficult

You don’t need the rosary to benefit from this Lenten journey. But if you’re drawn to it, it’s here for you.

The Pilgrim Lent - Day 39

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