“Dangers and adversities” and the early Trinity season collects

If one were to judge from some of the collects of the Book of Common Prayer, one might think us traditional Anglicans are a bunch of worrywarts.  For example, every Evening Prayer we pray, “…by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night.”  The Litany contains several lists of said “perils and dangers” containing just about everything that could possibly go wrong.  (Don’t misunderstand. I love that Evening Prayer collect and the Litany.)

The collects of the early Trinity season likewise are alert to things that can go wrong.  The collect for Trinity Sunday, after focusing on “the glory of the eternal Trinity” then adds almost as an afterthought “evermore defend us from all adversities.”  It seems even as he reflects on the glorious Holy Trinity, the Anglican is worrying about “adversities.”

At the same time such prayers reflect a dependence on God in the midst of adversities and of things that could go wrong.  And that dependence is perhaps the best remedy to worry.  So we pray for God to “defend us.” The Second Sunday after Trinity, we pray for Him to “keep us . . . under the protection of thy good providence.”  The Third Sunday just past, we ask that we would be “by thy mighty aid . . . defended and comforted in all dangers and adversities.”  When we see “dangers and adversities,” our prayers should reflect that God is stronger than them all and thereby be comforted.

What prompts me to bring this subject up is a road trip I just took.  It was a pleasant trip overall, but it came too close to being something else.  As I was pulling out from a traffic light, I heard a collision to the left of me.  I braked and veered to the right and saw an out of control car go in front of me and debris around me.  Thankfully, nothing hit me or my vehicle.  The next day as I was near home, I saw such stupid and reckless driving, I thought I was about to witness another accident.  But there was none – no thanks to the stupid drivers – and I soon got “safely to the haven where I would be with a grateful sense of thy mercies” indeed. (That phrase is from a BCP prayer for travelers, another prayer seemingly for worrywarts.)

I’ve since reflected that with age as one can look back on more adversities, accidents, and close calls (Lord knows I’ve had a few of those.), one realizes more that there really are a lot of “perils and dangers” out there.   One could then indeed become a worrywart or even a recluse.

The collects of the Book of Common Prayer show a better way: acknowledging the perils and dangers out there and therefore running to God in prayer for his protection and trusting in his good providence. 

And the longer I live, the more I shake my head when I think where I would be without God’s providence.  I have both seen enough “perils and dangers” and seen God bring me through them.  And no telling how many more dangers I will need him to bring me through.  So I will keep praying those BCP collects.