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THE HUMAN PERSON

THE HUMAN PERSON

Human Dignity
- It refers to the stature that human beings possess as people created in the
image and likeness of God. Human dignity is not conferred on people based
on their reputation, their productivity, or their self-sufficiency.
the dignity of man is the dignity of the image of God
not just a being, one among the many creatures created by
God, but a person
Pope Pius XII
Jesus reveals that our origin, meaning and destiny is grounded on God.
We are:
1. created in Gods own image and likeness (Gen. 1: 26 )
responsibility and stewardship (not absolute
freedom and not domination)
hence, act and treat others accordingly, that is: - treat
man not as mere objects or commodity, but with great
value, their worth, with faculties, and deserves nobler
treatment than animals.
Companionship between man and woman (not
dominance
but
solidarity,
not inferiority
but
complementarity, equity not equality)
Day of Rest enjoy fruits of labor, fulfill other
obligations,
called to be adopted children of God ( 1 Jn. 3: 1 );
and we are in a covenant
higher calling
duties inscribed in our hearts our very being
destined for eternal life ( CCC 1692 )
grounded with our true end
hence: we must not settle for the things of this
world
alone but those of higher value
in the spiritual realm matters of spirit
2. redeemed and divinized by Christ (Eph. 1: 7; Col. 1: 14)
saved from slavery of sin
man has been brought back to his own nature = In
Christ and through Christ, we have acquired full
awareness of our dignity, of the heights to which we
are raised, of the surpassing worth of our humanity
and of the meaning of our existence
irrelevance of the axiom, sapagkat akoy tao lamang
Supreme Calling: Exodus transformation and
conversion
Sacrifice - concrete expression of love - The Cross
has a mysterious power to convert and transform
3. sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8: 14-16; 1 Cor. 6:
19 )
capable of doing great things that is, within the
spiritual realm
meant to be healed if fallen from sin his nature is one
capable of rising up - not tao lamang
We are Temples of the Holy Spirit and His living
rooms (1 Cor.6:19)

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THE HUMAN PERSON

Human Persons in Experience

I. Human Persons are Open and Relational by nature ( CFC
687 )
gregarious by nature
a NEED, not an option to relate/socialize our physical setup always going outside palabas para sa
A.

Man is TRINITARIAN by origin

dignity of man in relation to the Trinity: We are: 1
created
Hence: not tao lamang
not spared from responsibility
and imputability
because being such: much is
expected with those who
are given much

B.

No one exists by oneself, but only in relation with others

That is how God ordered it
means: really created to be in relation with
others
components and dimensions of his existence:
i.
social
ii.
physical
iii.
emotional
iv.
psychological

No man is an island
C.

We realize that our being as person means:

being by others (our conception,birth, upbringing)
hence, there is no such thing as putok sa buho
manifested in a kid searching for his pinagmulan
human existence does not precede
relationship, but: born of relationship
and nurtured by it
from the very onset of our
existence,
we
are
in
a
relationship:
anak,
kapatid,
apo,etc
being with others
with our family, friends, neighbors, business
associates, classmates, school
being for others (through love and service)
Active & Passive
vs. Absolutizing Subjectivism, Individualism
he is capable of achieving all his needs

The high point of human relationship is our

relationship to God in faith, hope and love
the summit of our relational nature

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THE HUMAN PERSON

practically determined by our relationship

with our fellowmen, and as well
determines the same
II. Human Persons are Conscious Beings( CFC 688 )
A.

Man is the only animal who knows what he knows

what hes doing, everything around him, and why

Only man can go fasting, sleep late at night for a

nobler purpose
He can go beyond his instinct

Only man can understand, expound, reflect and

magnify things

Animals one dimensional moved merely buy

instinct

B. Man possesses self-awareness through his faculty of knowing

and
free-willing
(CCC
1704;
GS
14

17)
understand
value
By his reason, he understands the order of things established
by God
what should be
natural reaction:
bakit,
violation
He is able to recognize the voice of God (w/c urges man to do
good and avoid evil)
rights and obligations
justice, goodness
C. He puts up an imagery of the Creators infinite knowing and
loving in his small way
a spark of Divinity; we are
not alien to it
we personify Gods infinite knowing and
loving nature.
We are liable to God as well but: God expects only what is
within our capabilities
III. Human Persons are Embodied Spirits ( CFC 689 )
belongs to two dimensions
A. The unity between our body and soul

Hylemorphism - the substantial unity of man; two

different substances coming/combining together to form
an individual substance corpse and spirit
B. According to St. Thomas Aquinas: Man as soul and body
MAN FROM ABOVE
With regard to his relationship with God
High point of human relationship higher faculty
Capable of relating to and with God grounded,
looking for
With regard to his highest faculty INTELLECT
Proportionate to its function or goal
With reference to mans soul - - - - - RATIONAL SOUL
Operations of the soul are shown by body
Because of his rational soul, man is able to know,
love and serve God.
The rational soul subsists even after the death of
the body

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THE HUMAN PERSON

The higher faculty stresses that man needs to

attend to the claims of his soul
MAN FROM BELOW
Body seat of sin/weakness, limitations
With reference to his being bound to nature and matter
Keeps us related to material things of this world
Man has rational, sensitive, vegetative soul (he possess
the faculties of lower beings, which are lower faculties)
In the gradation of beings on matters of the soul
the higher being possesses those of the lower
beings
The lower faculty stresses that man as an integral being,
has material needs to attend to
C. OUR BODIES essential part of being human
Outlet of the soul
Not merely as INSTRUMENT we use according to our
whims and caprices neither ACCESSORIES
i.
ii.

iii.

good and honorable since God has created it and will

raise it up on the last day. (GS 14)
God the Son further dignified the body through His
INCARNATION - The Word became flesh and dwelt
among us (Jn 1:14)
You must know that your body is a temple of
the Holy Spirit
So glorify God in your body (1Cor. 6:19-20) the
natural sacrament of our spiritual depth

We are not totally free to intervene with our bodies which are
subjected to the laws of the material world.
We must learn to love ourselves in the true
context/meaning of love
Everybody deserves respect and honorable use
As body persons, we are part of the material world but with
moral responsibility
With moral implication order, proper place, proper
perspectives
Therefore, it is limited not absolute subject to abuse

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS = Hierarchy OF needs:

Goods and Values
Based on the components of human nature of Plato
and Aristotle
goods of the soul and goods of the body

St. Thomas adapted this table of goods:

a.) Goods of the Soul
primary good: practice of virtue
b.)Goods of the body
primary good: strength, health and beauty = but
only the right use of goods and certain measure of
riches would serve mans purpose

St. Thomas does not despise external goods because they are important
to support the family
maintaining a state of life
development of personality
to practice duties of
friendship and charity

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THE HUMAN PERSON

because the body is the outlet of the soul his bodily set
up shows that he is capable

Value of external goods = contribute to easier practice of virtue

not moral but is significant for morality
Good: when they promote and leads to virtue
Bad: when they lead away from virtue

Modern causes of the loss of INDIVIDUALITY

Television and other forms of mass media

make believe/consumerism/wrong perception of
life/ . Manipulation by means of mass
communication CA # 41, 4)
Consumerism/materialism
the measure of ones worth is with what he/she has
or can afford to acquire or possess.
Secularism/religious uprooting- no longer uprooted on paying
attention
emptiness among people due to religious
indifference and the loss of the sense of mystery in
our life

that: everything is
attainable;
we
can
achieve everything
the easier way
but, the real score is:
confronted
by
our
limitations, there are
things which we cannot
attain; we need the help
of God.
Secularism - complacent with what this world can offer

E. COMMON IDEAS/ POPULAR NOTIONS OF BODY & SOUL

BODY
material
principle of imperfection
mortality, finite

SOUL
spiritual
principle of perfection
immortality, infinite

Hence, EVIL

Hence, GOOD
thus, we have to escape the world, we have to tame our
bodies
World, Body, Flesh (commonly understood/viewed as
sources of evil)

RESPONSE: - When God saw all that He created, He saw that it was

good.
-

Therefore, if all that God crated is good, then the

world and the body which are part of Gods creation
are also good, and are never meant to be the sources
of evil

F. THE SOUL IS THE FORM OF THE BODY

the nature or essence of a thing that makes a
thing what it is.

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the soul provides ONENESS for the body (lives on every

part of the body). Man is an organic unity - composed of
different parts.
The soul serves as the unifying
principle and forms one unique
human being
if the soul disappears, all the other parts can no longer
function according to their nature = not only the human
being, sensitive being or the living(vegetative) being
disappears = but all the others parts could no longer be
what they are

ex. the hand as part of the body can function only if

it is connected to the body = animated by the
soul
in the same way: man can no longer be called
man when he is dead
Soul of man: bound to the body

According to PLATO
i.
The soul is a spiritual substance endowed with a body
ii.
The soul needs the embodiment
iii.
The assistance of the senses is needed for the
fulfillment of the souls vital task

G. THE SOUL IS NOT A MAN, NEITHER IS THE BODY, MAN

For Man is the Union of Body and Soul

IV. Human Persons are Historical Realities (CFC 690)

Because we are all bounded by time past, present, future

a. We are PILGRIMS ON-The-Way, who gradually, through time,

become our FULL SELVES
each of us is destined for something
b. In exercising freedom, we decide for ourselves and form
ourselves
our destiny lies in our hands the choices
we make
c. Our moral responsibility is proportionate to his/her
capacities at each stage of development
Wisdom, Prudence.. as time goes by, man experiences
more and more realization
The saying: experience is the best teacher
Much is expected with those who are given much
V. Human Persons are unique, yet fundamentally equal (CFC
691)
individuality
the basic:
a) Each of us is created, and called to image God in a
UNIQUE way.
Because God respects our individuality
different ways,
capacity,
skills,
status, talents
Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name:
you are mine
(Is. 43:1)
b.) And yet, we are all EQUAL
common denomination

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c.)Mans culpability accountability in relation to the persons

capacity/culpable for failing to do hat he is capable of doing.
Subjectively given
depends on you capability
different, but: One Calling
to be fulfilled in
our own way
d.)Our equality is based on the following truths:
The order of nature (same origin/same nature)
The supernatural order (same faith, hope, destiny and
baptism/have been redeemed by Christ/children of God)
The core of the redemptive mission of Jesus
I came that they may have life and have it
ABUNDANTLY.
(Jn. 10:10)

The FULLNESS of life communion with the Father (to which

every human person is freely called
there is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither
male or female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
(Gal. 3:28)
From this point of view, all men are equal; there is no
difference between the rich and the poor, the masters and the
servants, the rulers and the subjects. RN

HUMAN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS

Many rights, but the primary ones are:
Life, Liberty, Property
Respecting spiritual aspect of human person
Respecting human dignity = recognizing and respecting these
rights
CSDC, 384: human person = foundation and purpose of politics
and economics
John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptor Hominis, 14:
The human person is the primary and fundamental way for
the Church.
Characteristics of Human Dignity and Rights (CSDC, 153-154)
1) Universal
2) Inalienable
3) Inviolable
4) Indivisible