This is not a joke or a prank. The World Cup is ours. Think about it: We fasted during forty days, abstaining from secular information. Consequently, we did not succumb to the World Cup and did not suffer like other Brazilian fans did. We didn’t endure heartache, nor did we get to the point of wanting to rip out our hair. We didn’t bite our nails or become depressed, troubled, burdened, anxious, stressed, nervous, disheartened…

We did not lose our precious time rooting for a victory that never happened. And now, we’re not looking for someone to blame or seeking a consolation prize to try to ease the pain. We did not feel grief, live through any nightmares and our dreams were not shattered. We did not waste our money on tickets, flags or green and yellow objects that are now put away in a drawer or stuck in stores because nobody wants to buy them. We did not wake up with a hangover the next day.

We did not fight with anyone, we did not argue with anyone, we did not get angry with anyone, we did not make any enemies, we did not waste our precious time rooting for something. We did not waste our weeks away. The truth is, there is only one group of losers. The national team players did not lose because they continue receiving their high salaries. The media did not lose because they were paid for the advertisements they aired. The promoters did not lose because they recovered their expenses. The government, as well FIFA and CBF did not lose either because they earned lots of money and praise. The only ones that lost were the fans, who wasted their tears, emotions and time with something that didn’t give them anything in return.

However, no one won more than us. We experienced wonderful weeks of peace, spiritual and personal growth, a greater closeness to God, tranquility, renewed faith and the expectation of extraordinary things. We came to the end of these 40 days reaping the fruits of what we sowed during the past weeks: Peace, joy and a growing fervor. While the country was bustling with conflicting emotions, we swam in the calm waters of balance.

We finished the 40 days of the Fast of Jesus with profound joy and gratitude. We felt no sadness or frustration. On the contrary! Everything we planned for these days happened, and we still have the assurance that, from now on, we will achieve much more than we could ever imagine.

We gained a lot. We gained peace. We gained strength. We gained the will to act on our faith. We gained energy. We gained the assurance that our projects are going to be realized. We chose the good part. We concluded these forty days making our dreams come true, crowning our joy with an extraordinary experience: the inauguration of the Temple of Solomon. We did not waste our time and money on something that finished just as fast as it started; in a happiness that dissolved like foam. We invested our time and resources into a joy that will last forever. We worked towards a victory that no one can take away from us: the salvation of our soul. Those who invest in this, never lose. They only win. Eternally.