“Who’s Minding the Store?”

I went to church the other day to free my soul from sin.

I was looking for the preacher, but the preacher wasn’t in.

The Sexton there assured me that there’d be no use waiting.

“The preacher’s gone away,” he said, “to do some demonstrating.”

“What I want to know,” I said, “and I will make myself quite clear:

While they’re all demonstrating, who’s running things down here?

Who’s taking care of sinners, who’s leading us in prayer?

Who’s feeding all the lost sheep that wander by right here?

Who’s baptising babies, and another thing,” I said,

“Who’s looking out for the sick folk, and blessing all the dead?”

The Sexton was a wise old man, with a twinkle in his eye.

He looked at me and scratched his head, and this was his reply:

“Son, what I’m going to say to you might strike you kind of odd,

But since no one’s here to help you, put your question up to God.”

So I asked Him all those things last night, when I bent my knee in prayer:

“O Lord,” I prayed, “please tell me, who’s running things down here?”

The Lord sent down an Angel, it was enough to make me sob,

When the Angel said: “The Devil! And he’s doing a darn good job!”

by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen