“Those who live joyfully are envied.”

“So make us strong.”

These are 2 stanzas from a rhetorical prayer I once recited when I attended a church service with less than 10 congregants. The laity ran the service. We rotated leadership. The chosen celebrant led the congregation in song, prayer, meditative reflection, a healing circle, communion, and created a true sense of community.

Like all things good, even good things sometime fray at the seams.

 Before you knew it, words we once prayed in a back-and-forth manner, across facing pews, flew back in my face.

I was living joyfully.

 I was envied. Envy then caused jealousy and a twisted sense of logic became evident like thick Cape Cod fog.

I dropped out of the congregation.

I guess that everything has its time and place.

There was a time when I found great solace worshiping at this congregation. I enjoyed the company of the congregants. I liked the intellectual nature of the service. The person selected weekly to lead the service had leeway to select music and readings for the service. I remember introducing the poetry of Allen Ginsburg, Walt Whitman and the music of Judy Collins into a service where I was the central celebrant. 

There are those who wish to acid rain on my parade.

I have a very good friend. He told me, “Never let anyone spoil your joy.”

So those who live joyfully, they are often envied by others……..so make us strong and make us brave to stand up to those who wish to belittle, gossip, make false accusations, and act petty knowing that fragility is the nature of life. Life is a fast-fleeting occurrence where we often do not know what tomorrow will bring.

Peace to all on this Christmas Eve, 2011.

Live joyfully.

Do not let others “spoil your joy” or “acid rain on your parade.”

Brendan Ben Feeney