How kind it is of you to come

1 How kind it is of you to come,
Bright angel, from your starry home,
And watch by night, and watch by day,
Beside a sinful child of clay!
How good and pure I ought to be,
Who always live so near to thee!
Beneath thine eyes the whole day round,
Where'er I tread is holy ground.

2 And if I had my wish, I would,
Dear angel mine! be always good;
This minute I would rather die,
Than say bad words or tell a lie;
I always feel disposed this way,
Whene'er I kneel me down to pray;
But I forget when church is o'er,
And am as naughty as before.

3 O blessed guardian! kind and mild,
Have pity on a poor weak child,
And pray that God will make me strong
To do the right and shun the wrong.
Whenever I commit a sin,
I feel my very heart within
Grow chill and heavy like a clod,
Because I have offended God.

4 But I would rather love the Lord,
And shun each sinful deed and word,
Than do the sin, then feel the force
Of bitter shame and keen remorse.
I wish to think of God and thee
Whenever pretty things I see,
Till every flower that gems the sod
Shall make me think of thee and God.

5 Inspired by faith, I wish to hear
Thy gentle football strike my ear,
Before thy radiant face to bow,
And feed thy kiss upon my brow.
Thy broad white wings shall be my shield
While battling on life's dusty field;
Thine arms enfold me when I die,
And waft me homeward to the sky.

Source: Laudis Corona: the new Sunday school hymn book, containing a collection of Catholic hymns, arranged for the principal seasons and festivals of the year #228