Reflections on Dying

Last week we had to watch a video about death and dying.  It was actually anecdotes/dialogue from a scholastic conference between Ivy League Universities and researchers.  One guest speaker was a photo journalist who had documented, through pictures, his Father's death from lung cancer.  Hospice, who was caring for his father, commissioned him and he agreed.  He showed selected pictures and narrated exactly the moments and feelings he was having in them.  It was fascinating and eery all at the same time. 

Something this photo journalist said however, stood out to me so strongly.  In viewing a picture of his father moments before he died, he said that in caring for the dying one has to come to terms with ugliness.  That you have to look beyond the ugliness and see the person. 

I thought this could really be extended to anyone who is ill or injured in my care.  People in their infirmities, especially in a hospital setting, aren't necessarily physically beautiful.  However, we have to look beyond that to the person behind the physical.  They are a precious life, loved by God, and put in my charge for such a short time. 

I guess that is how God probably views us all.  Everything we do (even the good stuff), everything we are by nature, is repulsive to his nature.  However, he looks beyond that to our spirits.  He is the Creator, the one who breathed those spirits into being and regardless of how the surface looks, he loves and values what is underneath. 

Thank you Jesus for seeing beyond my infirmities.