When we prosper save us from pride

When we prosper save us from pride

I don’t think of myself as being prosperous, far from it in fact. On a continuum with “prosperous” at one end and “needy” at the other, I would generally put myself closer to the “needy” end — closer to, “when we are needy save us from despair” than, “when we prosper save us from pride” from this Collect for the Eighth Sunday after Trinity.

But, in reality, that would be comparing myself with the society I live in — a society that would be considered prosperous in comparison to many other societies around the world. Comparing myself to many millions of people from all around the world, I would find myself in a very different place on that continuum — much closer to the “prosperous” end.

I’m sitting here in front of a reasonably good computer, accessing the internet and writing a blog post on a website on my own domain name. All of this costs money. There are far too many people around the world that would be grateful just for the chair.

I drive a nice car, just a few months old: one of the very few advantages to the health problems I have. But, nevertheless, it still costs money. There are far too many people around the world who would be grateful just for one of the tyres, to turn into makeshift footwear.

I haven’t decided yet what I’ll be having for dinner later, but I have plenty to choose from, and it’ll be reasonably easy to prepare. This does, of course, cost money. There are far too many people around the world who would be grateful just for a piece of bread to assuage their hunger.

I could go on, but I’m sure you get the picture. If you’re reading this you must, like me, be much closer to the “prosperous” end of the continuum than you are to the “needy” end.

It’s all too easy to only concern ourselves with how things are in our immediate vicinity, and despair because of our neediness can overtake us. I know that is something I’m guilty of. So I would generally be much closer to “despair” than “pride”. But this Collect reminds us that both are wrong; and that we should put our trust in God alone. It’s a great “ideal” to aim for, but not so easy to achieve in practise.

In amongst the Additional Collects, that I reflect on each week here, there are one or two prayers in each season that are designated to be suitable for use instead of one that’s set for the day. This week’s is one of those Collects. I guess that highlights the importance of what we’re praying for — learning to trust more in God, and his providence.

A good prayer to be praying methinks.

Lord God,
your Son left the riches of heaven
and became poor for our sake:
when we prosper save us from pride,
when we are needy save us from despair,
that we may trust in you alone;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for The Eighth Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council