Introduction:

The dignity of the human person is rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of God (; it is
fulfilled in his vocation to divine beatitude. It is essential to a human being freely to direct himself
to this fulfillment. By his deliberate actions, the human person does, or does not, conform to the
good promised by God and attested by moral conscience. Human beings make their own
contribution to their interior growth; they make their whole sentient and spiritual lives into means
of this growth.
Link 1: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1.htm

Objectives:
1. Identify the dignity of human person as God’s gift rooted in His image and likeness.
2. Discuss and reflect the importance of human person being created in the image and likeness of
God.

Opening Prayer
We thank you, creator God,
for the goodly heritage you offer us,
from green downland
to the deep salt seas,
and for the abundant world
we share with your creation.
Keep us so mindful of its needs
and those of all with whom we share,
that open to your Spirit
we may discern and practice
all that makes for its wellbeing,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,

- Rev. Peter Lippiett

 LEARNING ACTIVITIES

When somebody tells you are This lesson will lead us to understand
worthy of something, how do what makes you worthy regardless of
you feel or respond?
whatever you are as a human

Have you ever tried looking at the

mirror and wonder why you are
here?
How do you see yourself in the
mirror as a person?

VOCABULARY

Communion—sense of being unified as one people of God by upholding by loving God and
neighbor.
Reason—term used by philosophers that pertains to both capacities of intellect and freewill of the
human person.
Dignity—comes from the latin word dignus which means ‘worthy’

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 Human Dignity

Is this picture familiar to you?

OPEN YOUR BIBLE!

Genesis 1:24-31
 In what way are humans created specially?
 What role did God give to humans?
 What do you think are the abilities we have that
animals don’t have?
What is human dignity?
 Merriam-Webster Dictionary says it comes from the Latin word “dignus”, which means
“worthy” or “of worth”.
 In simplest terms, when we say “human dignity, it refers to humans as precious and priceless
in the eyes of God rooted in being created in His image and likeness.

Oopss.. I didn’t say, we are gods! But we can be as loving as God by

protecting human dignity with our human dignity!

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) points out human person is given two important
things:

 Gift of reason (intellect)—capability of knowing and understanding the order of things.

 Gift of free will—capability of choosing the true good.
Having these two gifts, man has the power to recognize God’s will by his decision to freely obey in loving
God and neighbor leading to “communion of persons” or simply unity and eternal happiness.

Any form of violence and discrimination against a person

is a big NO NO! Dignity is in every person regardless of
who or what they are!

Link 2: https://www.catholicsocialteaching.org.uk/themes/human-dignity/

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 CHURCH TEACHINGS

The Catechism of the Catholic Church ( CCC) confirms and explains our human dignity on the following
points:

1. The divine image being created in God’s image and likeness- is present in every man and woman, and
the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes or GS 29) declares all
people are equal in this regard.
2. Gifted with a soul, the human person is “the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake,”
that is, from conception, God has already desired for him on her to be destined for eternal happiness.
3. In his or her soul, the human person is given:

To be capable of
understanding the order of
The Gift of Freewill
things

To be able to choose the true

good, which is what God wills
because by understanding and
The Gift of choosing the true Good, he or
Reason/Intellect she becomes perfectly or fully
human, and thus eternally
happy

4. Because of his or her powers of intellect and will, the human person has freedom, an
“outstanding manifestation of the divine image”.
5. Through his or her intellect, the human person recognizes God’s will, and through his or her will,
he or she obeyed His will in loving Him and neighbour, attaining “communion of persons”.
6. The “communion of persons” then ultimately reveals the divine image reflecting the unity of the divine
Person---- God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
7. This is how one lives his or her moral life that confirms his or her human dignity.
--- cf. CCC 1702-1706

Regardless of any factors or reasons we can think of, individuals have an inherent and
immeasurable worth and dignity.

Each human life is considered sacred.

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 God created us “in His image and likeness,.” No other creatures
were created the same way. From here, we could be sure that we How would you feel if you
are incomparably SPECIAL. No person must be mistreated. see a person being
mistreated?
 Everyone must be treated as a member of the family.

What Bible says about Creation of Man?

24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures
that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God
made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the
creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in

the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures
that move along the ground.”
27
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he
created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule

over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the
ground.”
29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has

fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in
the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I
give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the

sixth day.
Genesis 1:24-31
-

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 WORKSHEET # 1

Lesson 1: Created in the Image and Likeness of God

Name
Grade & Section Date
Teacher

TASK 1

What do you think are things you are

WHEN PUBERTY HITS YOU!
capable to do even when you were still a
child?

 __________________________________
Paste your Paste your  __________________________________
childhood photo recent photo
 __________________________________
 __________________________________
 __________________________________
Now, what are the significant attitudes you have now as a __
teenager?

 _________________________________
 _________________________________
 _________________________________
 _________________________________
________________________________
What are the common characteristics you had when you were still a child and now as a teenager
that express the presence of the image and likeness of God in your life? Cite ways how you can
grow in these aspects of your life?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

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 TASK 2
A. On the lines below, compose an essay on what you resolve to do at home as your own way of
returning the favor of God’s gift of human dignity. Your composition will be rated based on
Content (6 pts.) and organization (4 pts.) (10 points)

_________________________________________________________________________________

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_______________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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TASK 3

As a member of our society, take a photo of a certain situation below integrating what you have learned about
dignity and explain how you can become a dignified person. (10 points each)

Criteria for Illustration

Creativity ( 3) Originality (2) Content ( 5)
The level of choosing the sketch, Emphasize the uniqueness and The drawing is specific, realistic and
how much the student relate to the originality of the drawing clearly illustrated according to the
topic and what all the things are given theme
added to the part.
Criteria for Essay
Organization ( 3) Content ( 5)
The level of choosing the right terms, how much the The answer is specific, realistic and clearly defined
student relate to the topic and what all the things are according to the given situation
added to the part.

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 Environment

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Family

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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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 POINTS FOR REFLECTION

RVM Integration Questions Answer

1. What particular responsibility given to us by

God after creating us in His image and likeness
and possess varied gifts?

2. What are the issues against the promotion of

the sacredness of human life?

3. To what extent does science and our lesson

compatible in terms of human creation?

SUMMARY
After learning about the dignity of human person, now I understand that…
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SELF-EVALUATION
Things I learned in this lesson:
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Questions I still have on my mind about this
lesson:
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
_________________________________________

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 To make our Module become learner-friendly, please help us answer the
following questions.

1. In what aspect of this module is helpful to your learning?

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Which part of this module are least helpful to your learning?

_______________________________________________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________________________________________

3. Other comments/suggestions
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Although you have seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now
yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain
the goal of faith, the salvation of your soul.
-1 Peter 1:8-9

 Catechism of the Catholic Church

 Bible
 List of Links:
Link 1: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1.htm
Link 2: https://www.catholicsocialteaching.org.uk/themes/human-dignity/

St. Rita’s College of Balingasag Christian Living 9 │ Student Study Guide 11 10