What would you do if you won the Mega Millions Jackpot? At one point in the past weeks, the Mega Millions jackpot was a total of 1.35 BILLION dollars before someone won it in Maine. That is, to put it lightly, a LOT of money. I’m sure that many of us could think of a lot of things that we could do with 1.35 Billion dollars. There are debts that we could pay off, repairs to our house or car that perhaps we’ve been putting off, maybe even a new house or a new car that we might be able to purchase. Perhaps we might be able to take the vacation that we’ve always dreamed about but never been able to afford, or perhaps we might share some of that money with family and friends and, perhaps even our church. I can think of a few things in my own life that if I were to suddenly come upon 1.35 Billion, let alone 1.35 million, or even 135,000 dollars that I might be able to do.

There are many reasons that we might seek to come upon a new found fortune, and many of them are very good reasons, but I think that it all boils down to is that in some way, shape, or form, we are all seeking happiness. Whether it’s through the possibility of winning the Mega Millions jackpot or countless other avenues, for I would assume every single one of us, our deep down goal is happiness, both for ourselves & those who are nearest & dearest to us. We may not all seek to go about it the exact same way, but is there anyone who says, “You know what, I don’t really want to be happy?” Life is, in many ways, a chase after happiness.

This weekend in the Beatitudes, we hear Jesus’ description of what it truly means to be happy. As He says, “Blessed are…” we could also say, “Happy are…” And did you notice, none of the “Happy are’s…” that Jesus described included, “Blessed are those who win the Mega Millions Lottery.” That’s not to say that there is anything wrong with buying a lottery ticket, or 2, or 12. In fact, I’m sure that many good things have been done by & through the generosity of lottery & jackpot winners in the past. And while we can certainly find some happiness in a worldly fortune, in the end happiness isn’t about the amount of money in our bank account, it’s about knowing that we are blessed & loved by God & seeking to be a blessing of love to everyone around us. While everything else may bring us some form of happiness, living as a blessed man or woman is the only think that will bring us happiness that never fades or diminishes so, while there may be a part of us that wishes we could win even just a part of that 1.35 Billion Mega Millions jackpot, the happiness that comes from living a life centered on God is a happiness that can never lose its value. That, is the ultimate jackpot.