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THE HUMAN PERSON

- a basic them/principle a very elaborate, universal and extensive concept/principle

- major weapon in the struggle for ideal society
- a rights protecting principle= basis for justice and peace and for assistance for the needy

Human Dignity

- instrinsic feautre of humanity self evident truths which does not require further justification
- designated to protect and promote
- 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.

Human Right

- inalienable - not obtained or granted but inborn (not based on reputation, productivity or self-sufficiency
- inviolable - cannot be deprived or renounced
= therefore the society has the responsibility to protect and promote it
- but every right is not absolute

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 )
a) responsibility and stewardship (not absolute freedom and not domination)
- the authority to give name
- approach with awe and wonder
- Reuse and not Throwaway culture
- Preserve natures diversity
- Physical contact with nature
b) Companionship between man and woman (not dominance but solidarity, not inferiority
but complementarity, equity not equality)
c) Day of Rest enjoy fruits of labor, fulfill other obligations,
d) called to be adopted children of God ( 1 Jn. 3: 1 ); and we are in a covenant
we are called by name
e) destined for eternal life ( CCC 1692 )
- 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)

Human Persons in Experience

I. Human Persons are Open and Relational by nature ( CFC 687 )

gregarious by nature
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a NEED, not an option to relate/socialize our physical set-up 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
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.
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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
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. good and honorable since God has created it and will raise it up on the last day. (GS
14)
ii. 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
iii. 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
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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

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 SOUL
material spiritual
principle of imperfection principle of perfection
mortality, finite 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.
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
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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

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
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2) Inalienable
3) Inviolable
4) Indivisible