Lotto in the Philippines  is becoming more and more popular these days  specially after one guy from Luzon  has won the P 741 M Grand Lotto jackpot recently.
 
Our kababayans back home are moving heaven and earth to buy these much-desired lottery tickets – and if they win— they think their money would be enough   to give them a comfortable life, thereby freeing   themselves from the shackles of poverty.
 
The  millions of pesos jackpot is enticing every Pedro, Juan, and Maria, the young and old, to bear the long line-ups at lottery outlets to place their bets and even those people who have not played games of chance before are now joining the frenzy, some of them are saying “ who knows, this might be our lucky day and win the jackpot.”
 
To increase their chances  of winning the lottery’s  huge jackpot, some people tend to rely on the power of dreams,  go to churches to ask the intercession of their favourite saints and  make a plea to God to hear their prayers; and reportedly more people have been seen going to churches on the day of the lotto’s draw.
 
Even religious leaders, who are supposed to tend their flock and give them the right moral compass, have been sending mixed signals that add to the country’s moral confusion and deterioration.
 
The Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) has reported quoting Fr. Cris Magbitang, vice dean of studies at the Don Bosco Center of Studies in Paranaque City, that “ he saw nothing wrong with betting in the lottery. He admitted   that once in a while, he also placed bets on lotto, ‘ just for fun or out of curiosity’. Magbitang said he had made a bet twice on the Grand Lotto. Should he win, he intends to use the money to help people in need. But he finds the practice of some people of having their lotto tickets blessed by a priest a bit too much.”
 
The PDI has also quoted Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez, chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ affairs committee, as saying that gambling is “ ‘incompatible with Christianity and invoking God for good luck is flawed.’ The bishop said he ‘understands’ people praying to God to win the lotto but he frowns on bettors who reportedly rub their tickets on the images of saints, hoping it would bring them good fortune”
 
The world has really changed—for the worst. These lotteries-- used to be a form of gambling and vice-- are now considered entertainment and fun. The people couldn’t care less anymore even if their winning the lotto could mean misery of others. Would profiting from the losses of others be in harmony with the Bible’s exhortation  “ You must love your neighbour as yourself”” (Mathew 22:39)
 
How about relying on good luck to enhance the betting chances, what does the Holy Scriptures say? To the unfaithful Israel, Jehovah said: But you men are those leaving Jehovah, those forgetting my holy mountain, those setting in order a table for the god of Good Luck and those filling up mixed wine for the god of Destiny.
So by involving ourselves in any form of gambling, in   effect, we are serving these gods of Good Luck and god of Destiny.
 
Here in  Toronto, I know some people who have won in lotto but they have not stopped  buying lotto tickets despite   their winnings.  Why? Let’s  hear what the Bible says on this—“ A mere lover of silver will not be satisfied with silver, neither any lover of wealth with income. This too is vanity”. (Ecc.5: 10.).
 
For our peace of mind, let’s heed the Bible ‘s counsel: ... Keep your eyes open and guard against every sort of covetousness, because even when a person has an abundance, his life does not result from the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15)
 
The millions of money one can get from this lottery   will not be enough to save one’s  life, as Christ aptly warns “ For what benefit will it be to a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul....”

 

 

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