Human Dignity Lesson PDF

LESSON 1: HUMAN DIGNITY B. CONSCIOUS BEINGS - Having been created in God’s image and likeness, we are endowed with intellect and THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN BEING free will....

LESSON 1: HUMAN DIGNITY B. CONSCIOUS BEINGS - Having been created in God’s image and likeness, we are endowed with intellect and THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN BEING free will. Human Being is the masterpiece in God’s creation. Being such, the individual person must respect his or her life and C. RELATIONAL BEING that of others. D. UNIQUE YET FUNDAMENTALLY EQUAL - Persons To have dignity means: to have worth and value. are different. We should learn to RESPECT the uniqueness of others just as we expect others to respect One who has the dignity: is excellent honorable, and and accept us in our uniqueness. Accepting persons for worthy of respect who they are can help us learn to appreciate ourselves. Our human dignity is: SUMMARY: Human Being is the masterpiece of God’s creation. 1. INHERENT - It means that human dignity is naturally To have dignity means: associated with a person or thing, as an essential A. To have worth and value characteristic. B. one who has dignity: Excellent, honorable and worthy of respect. 2. INVIOLABLE - It means that human dignity cannot and must not be violated [ all kinds of violations ] or disturbed. Human dignity is: inherent, Inviolable and inalienable. Qualities (Image and Likeness of God) 3. INALIENABLE - It means that human dignity cannot be  The Ability to think transferred or taken away.  The ability to love  The ability to Choose Our human dignity, therefore, is part of us. It is to be  The ability to relate with others. treated as something SACRED, and no one has the right to degrade it. SUMMARY: AS HUMAN BEINGS WE ARE PERSON – IN – But how did we acquire this inherent, inviolable and EXPERIENCE: inalienable human dignity?  HISTORICAL BEINGS The inherent, inviolable, and inalienable dignity of the  EMBODIED SPIRITS human person is rooted in his creation in the image and  CONSCIOUS BEINGS likeness of God. This likeness does not refer to a physical  RELATIONAL BEINGS resemblance, for who can describe the physical features  UNIQUE YET FUNDAMENTALLY EQUAL IN of God. Rather, the likeness refers to qualities which we DIGNITY. believe God has, based on His works we see around us. LESSON 2: JESUS CHRIST REVEALS TO US These qualities include: THE FULLNESS OF OUR DIGNITY  The ability to think In Christ and through Christ man has acquired full  The ability to love awareness of his dignity of the heights to which he is  The ability to choose raised, of the surpassing worth of his own humanity; and  The ability to relate with others of the meaning of his existence. - Pope St. John Paul II A. Man is created in the image and likeness of God. PERSONS – IN - EXPERIENCE “In loving and serving, we prove that we have been HISTORICAL created in the likeness of God, for God is love and when - We are constantly growing in many different aspects. we love we are like God.” -Mother Teresa - - “Be patient with me. I am a work in progress.” B. We have been redeemed by Christ 1 Cor. 13:11 “When I was a child; I used to talk as a child,  In and through Jesus Christ, God has redeemed us think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, as individuals and as a people from slavery to sin and I put aside childish things” death. Christ has shown us through His Paschal Mystery that what makes us truly human is not our A. EMBODIED SPIRITS - As embodied spirits, we have self-centeredness and sin, but our capacity to love. bodily needs like food, water, rest, etc. as well as spiritual needs like companionship, sense of mission, education,  “ Jesus Christ suffered for you, leaving you an among others. Because we are made in the divine image example that you should follow in His footsteps… He of God, we are spiritual beings with incomparable Himself bore our sins in His body upon the cross, so DIGNITY, VALUE, AND WORTH. that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.” He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means  We follow someone we really like. of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own  We walk humbly with Jesus because in Him, in his blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. - Heb 9:12 life and through his teachings, we find perfect human life and the happiness that comes with it. C. We are Empowered to love by the Holy Spirit  This call to discipleship is a call to holiness.  A call to holiness is a call to the fullness of Christian - “We see and know that the presence and action of the life and love. Holy Spirit in our lives through His fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness What does being a disciple of Christ actually mean? and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23). The scripture presents to us the basic and most significant elements that pertains to discipleship. - “the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Rom. Elements of Christian discipleship: 5:5). 1. “ I chose you” (Jn. 15:16) D. We are Destined to Share in God’s Eternal Life. Accept Jesus as my master. He chose us inspite of our imperfections and sinfullness. CHRISTIAN MESSAGE 2. “To be with me” (Jn. 17:24, Mk. 3:14) Through Jesus’ life, teachings, and example, Christ Attachment to the person of Jesus. Remain with Jesus revealed to us how our common human dignity is and through life's journey. grounded on the love of God, who sustains us, redeems 3. “To be sent out” (Mk. 3:14) us, empowering us to love and calls us to share in His Commitment to the person of Jesus. Life long relationship own eternal life. (CFC 685) with Jesus.We are chosen for a mission- to go out and bear fruit that will remain. LESSON 3: CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP Call to discipleship by Jesus is universal to all. Etymology Criteria to live our discipleship is same for all  Many Christians refer to themselves as members of Christians (Lk 9:23) However we can exercise our the church rather than disciples. For them disciples discipleship through different ways of functions e.g. were the twelve who spent intimate and quality time priesthood, married life,single blessedness with Jesus during His earthly ministry.  The word “Disciple” is derived from the Greek word 4 invitations of discipleship: “Mathetes”. Literally meaning – a learner 1. Come and see (Jn 1:39)  Mathetes is one who directs his mind to something – 2. Come and follow me (Mk 1:17) a pupil or a student 3. Come to me and learn from me (Mt 11:29)  Hence disciple is one who attaches himself to a 4. Now come and follow me (Mt. 19:21) teacher and follows his teaching Qualities of a disciple What is Discipleship? A. Disciple is one who Hears or learns from his  Christian discipleship is the transformation process master that turns a believer into the person God wants him Martha gave priority to hear from Jesus when she had to be. other options. Luke 10: 38-42. Disciple is one who Hears  Elements necessary for discipleship or learns from his master. Once Jesus was praying. After  Knowledge and experience are necessary in he had finished, one of his disciples said “Lord, teach us discipleship. to pray, as John taught his disciples”. - Luke 11:1 Christian Discipleship: Commitment to “walk humbly” B. Disciple is one who Obeys his master with our God Peter and Andrew responded to His call with an open  The phrase “to walk humbly with God” is a description heart (Mark 1 :16- 20) of the life of faith. It means placing our deepest trust in God alone. C. Disciple is one who enjoys the time with his  This expression stresses the kind of life God wants master for us, how we ought to walk our day-to -day life in his The bold response of Peter -Being with the master at all presence. time John 6:66 - 71  This call to walk is reflected in the call of Jesus, who invites us to walk with Him, or follow Him to remain in True discipleship (Christian Message) His love ( Jn 15: 4-9) When God is the center of our lives, we live to please  To follow Jesus is to be his disciple, “to imitate Jesus” Him. When we please God, we want Him to influence through the power of the Spirit whom Jesus sends to each area of our lives. This is discipleship. And as us. It is the Spirit that empowers faithful commitment disciples of Jesus we have the responsibility to make to Christ and the Kingdom of God. disciples.