Prayer of St. Francis

A statue of St. Francis of Assisi at the São Sebastião Cathedral in Rio de Janeiro. I've always loved St. Francis, not just because I grew up in a city named for him. During the the late 60's-early 70's days of the folk Mass, we used to sing several songs written by Sebastian Temple. This is the only one I remember, not least because they sang it at my stepfather's funeral, a few weeks before it was played at Princess Diana's.

Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there is hatred let me bring your love,
Where there is injury your pardon Lord,
And where there’s doubt true faith in you.

O Master grant that I may never seek,
So much to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace,
Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope,
Where there is darkness, only light,
And where there’s sadness, ever joy.

Make me a channel of your peace,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving of ourselves that we receive.
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.

-- Adapted by Sebastian Temple

I am often not being as kind as I would like to be these days, but when I listen to this song, I am always inspired to try harder.