STRUCK BY GOD

Everyone was looking for a miracle in one form or another but few people rarely noticed the signs.

Until that was the night of 10th February 2023 where lightning struck the 100 foot statue of Christ the Redeemer towering over the city of Rio de Janeiro and nine year old Carlos dos Santos suddenly decided (without any reservation) that he belonged devoutedly and devotedly to Jesus.

Prior to the dramatic divine intervention on the top of Mount Corcovado, little Carlos had no real understanding of the Bible or the teachings of Christ, but in that one iconic flash he suddenly behaved as if God's beloved son was watching his every action on earth and became a genuine believer in the Almighty.

Though perhaps it also had something to do with the fact that he'd been praying the night of the 'Corcovado miracle' that he would be selected in the Saturday trial for Flamengo, Rio's most famous football team and simply needed something bigger than his own confidence to help him believe he could impress the scouts watching him.

It was only when he saw the extensive footage and images of the incredible lightning rod anointing the head of the Jesus statue on his phone the following morning that he quickly corroborated the time and date of when it happened with his own attempt at a lucky prayer the night before. And to his amazement, the two seemingly disparate events occured at the exact same time, creating a perfect spiritual synchronicity.

"Struck By God", one article headline read on his Dad's iPad but Carlos was only interested in the indelible image of the lightning and statue.

"You see this, son? This was in the bible. St.Paul himself was blinded by a light from heaven. Three days later his vision was restored. It's a sign we should all repent."

Carlos shrugged. He had no idea what that meant. All he cared about was the trial after breakfast and rewarding Jesus's faith in him.

Inspired by the divine event from the night before, Carlos attended his mid morning football trial with an elevated sense of faith. Jesus had proved that he had actually listened in to his idle prayer and shown him a clear sign that he believed in him just so long as it was reciprocated.

Changing into his kit in the dressing room, Carlos slipped on a silver crucifix necklace that belonged to his late grandmother which he'd always kept in the back of his bedside table drawer around his neck. He then made the sign of the cross as he ran onto the grass, as he now understood why so many players he watched on TV did that before they ran onto the field.

Playing with the support of Jesus behind him, Carlos dazzled in midfield as he danced with the football as if he were walking on water much to the irritation of several tenacious defenders repeatedly attempting to steal the ball from him but with little to no success.  

A concerted effort then ensued to cut the young Carlos properly down to size as a couple of lethal looking challenges threatened to frighten his ebullient confidence away. He'd seen on certain YouTube documentaries his father had made him watch about how legendary players often became targeted by aggressive defenders in the leagues they played in, most memorably a young Diego Maradona in LaLiga. Recalling something his father had told him suddenly came to his mind as he patiently waited for the ball to return to his feet.

"The trick is to think beyond how they think. They're on the defensive so haven't got time to imagine outside of trying to take you down. You're on the offensive. You've got all the time to imagine what you want to happen."

And it was at that point Carlos ran onto a perfectly weighted through pass from one of his team mates. Staring down two intimidating looking defenders he suddenly envisaged the image of the lightning striking the statue of Christ and  instinctively smashed the ball from around thirty yards into the top right hand corner of the goal as the polypropylene net swooshed like an angel's wing.

The ensuing silence from his opponents was almost sacred as even the scouts on the touchline couldn't help but nod their approval. Looking to the heavens to thank Jesus for his own personal miracle moment, the young boy believed he was now set on a path of glorious destiny.

Carlos didn't even need them to tell him that they wanted him to play for Flamingo.

He knew it in his heart. Just like with his new found faith.