I Have Fulfilled All Their Prayers
by Rev. Robert J. Hermley

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The other night I had the most realistic dream I can ever remember.  I was walking outside the gates of heaven talking with Christ and we made our way along a gorgeous pathway heavily laden with the scent of roses and with lovely wild flowers.  The stars were so brilliant that it seemed as though it were noon-time.  I remember the magnificent smile of Christ as He bid me walk along with Him down the lovely pathway.

I had a million questions to ask Him and hundreds of favors I wanted Him to grant, but as I tried to speak, thousands of voices pierced the quiet of the night - raising from the four corners of the earth . . .

"Please Lord," one voice begged, "the doctor told my grandmother she is going blind and nothing can be done about it.  Can't you send us someone who can cure her ailment?"  "Lord, they told my father today," another voice interrupted, "that he doesn't have long to live; he wants so desperately to be cured and to live long enough to see us grown up.  Can't you send someone to cure his awful disease?"

"Dear Lord," a tiny voice said, "my mother told me today that she received letters from relatives in Europe who are almost in dire poverty.  Could you send someone to help them in their need?"  "Lord, my best friend is deaf; won't you inspire some doctor to invent new techniques to help her and all people who are disabled?"  "Lord, I have been told that war is inevitable.  Won't you send us brilliant leaders to show us the way to lasting peace?"  "Lord we need teachers -,"  "Lord we desperately need holy priests who don't have office hours - priests who will answer the telephone when we call the Rectory in trouble - "  "Lord, we need scientists . . ."  "Lord, send us someone to help us laugh again . . ."  "Lord, we need more teachers to teach us authentic doctrines and who fight the modernistic trends . . ."  Lord give us . . .

I covered my ears to silence all these pleading voices-to put an end to all these sad requests.  I turned toward Christ to ask Him why He had let all these prayers go unanswered for so long a time.  His head was bent low in reflection, and a terrible look of sadness lined His majestic face.  His eyes met mine, and as they did I noticed two large tears rolling down His sacred cheeks, and He quietly replied, "I have answered all their prayers and requests a hundred times, but each time I send a new baby into the world who will do as they request some mother kills it by abortion."