Side by Side

I was walking down the path, eyes wide open for beautiful things to capture with my camera. I caught sight of a lone rose bud of spectacular color. I approached the bud, contemplating the distance and angle from which I could best catch the wonderfulness of it.

I framed the shot and focused the lens. What I saw through my viewfinder surprised me; alongside the bud was the dead shell left behind by a previous bloom.

I chose an angle from which I could capture the beauty of the rose without having its dead partner in focus.

Then I changed my mind. I snapped another shot, this time allowing the dead and the living to be nearly equally in focus.

Because that's closer to the truth of it all. The living and the dead, the beautiful and the ugly, they are found side-by-side. And every thing that lives will die.

We should recognize and focus on the beautiful, yes. We should not allow ourselves to be swallowed by the evils and ugliness of the world. Sin, temptation, and darkness exist, though. To ignore them and deny that they are in our lives can be just as dangerous as dwelling on them.

Because ignoring the reality of death is also ignoring the reality of life eternal. 

Christ, by his sacrifice, made death a sacrament. The reality of death is something in which we will participate. The sacrament of death is something in which we are allowed and invited to participate by the merciful Redeemer. If we participate in it through His grace, we will also participate in the reward of the sacrifice: everlasting joy, free from all pain and sorrow.

Don't just block out the pain and evil. Recognize it. Allow it to make an impression on you as dark and horrifying so that you might recognize the great blessing of light and joy. 

Don't turn a blind eye to the suffering of others. The ugliness of their pain could just as easily be your ugliness.

Darkness is only driven out by light.

Sorrow is only driven out by joy.

Death is only conquered by life.