ST.

AUGUSTINE’S PRAYER TO THE

HOLY SPIRIT

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my

thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy
Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw
my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what
is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to
defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O
Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.
Lesson 2 – The Human Person
Motivation Activity: https://youtu.be/U3GzP9fp_Wo

Question:
1. How does the girl look at herself?
2. What is its effect on the way she relates
to her family especially her mother? 

“The way we look at ourselves as persons can influence

us on the way we behave.”
 Our concept of ourselves as
human persons can influence
our decisions and behaviors as
agents of morality.

Knowing ourselves makes it easier for us to understand what

Christian Morality is.
It will also help us realize that our moral character depends
directly on the answers we give to the question: “Who am I as
a person in a community and as a disciple of Jesus today?”
THREE BASIC
THREE BASIC WAYS
WAYS BY
BY WHICH
WHICH WE
WE KNOW
KNOW “WHO
“WHO WE
WE
ARE AS
ARE AS PERSONS.”
PERSONS.”

A. Nature of things – the way

things are (Natural Law)

B. God’s Revelation – salvation

history; Old Testament
C. Word spoken to us by God
through Jesus Christ
 THE CHRISTIAN VIEW OF MAN

I. Persons are created in God’s image and likeness.

Gen 1:25 - “Let us make man in our image and likeness.”

This passage emphasize the

following truths:
 
a. Persons as created by God.
b. Persons as images of God.
c. Persons as the likeness of God.
d. Persons as fundamentally good.

Gen 1:31 – “God looked at

everything He had made, and He found it
very good.”
e.
e. Persons
Persons as
as God’s
God’s partners.
partners.
Gen
Gen 1:28
1:28 “Be
“Be fertile
fertile and
and multiply,
multiply, fill
fill the
the earth
earth and
and
subdue
subdue it”
it”
II. Persons Are Redeemed By Jesus Christ

How did Christ redeem us?

ItIt isis through

through HisHis blood
blood that
that we
we have
have
been redeemed
been redeemed and and our
our sins
sins forgiven.
forgiven.
His total
His total self-giving
self-giving on
on the
the cross
cross reveals
reveals
His immeasurable
His immeasurable love love for
for all
all human
human
persons. He
persons. He does
does bring
bring sinners
sinners back
back to
to
Himself.
Himself.
III. PERSONS ARE SANCTIFIED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

The presence of the Holy Spirit in the human person sanctifies him
and makes him the Temple of God.

“Are you not aware that you are the temples of

God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If
anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy
him. For the temple of God is holy and you are that
temple.” (1 Cor. 3:16-17)
IV. PERSONS ARE CALLED TO BE CHILDREN OF GOD

God created the human person, you and me. This truth reminds us that
God is our Father and we are His children.
What does it mean to be a child of God?

To be children of God and for God to be our Father means to

place our complete trust and confidence in God, allowing Him
to guide us to the truth and to bring us to honor and worship
Him in our day to day life.

Jesus Christ gives us an example of

what it is to be a child of God.
V. PERSONS ARE DESTINED FOR ETERNAL LIFE

The first man and woman destroyed their

access to God when they sinned against Him.
But God offered salvation through His
Incarnate Son Jesus Christ so that all will be
reconciled to God. For man’s blessed destiny
is to be in communion with God (Father, Son
and Holy Spirit).
 THE NATURAL/EXPERIENTIAL VIEW OF MAN

A. PERSONS ARE OPEN AND RELATIONAL

God created
God created man
man as
as aa social
social being.
being. He
He gave
gave man
man aa companion,
companion,
the woman,
the woman, in in order
order not
not to
to be
be alone.
alone. “No
“No man
man is
is an
an island.”
island.”
To be
To be fully
fully human,
human, itit is
is not
not good
good for
for man
man to
to be
be alone
alone and
and apart
apart
from people
from people ofof God.
God. We
We live
live in
in aa network
network of
of relationships.
relationships.
B. PERSONS ARE CONSCIOUS BEING

God created man with intelligence and freewill:

to obey His commandments with faith and
understanding.

Man isis endowed

Man endowed with with the
the power
power of of reasoning
reasoning toto
distinguish good
distinguish good from
from evil.
evil. He
He isis conscious
conscious ofof his
his
acts and
acts and isis therefore
therefore responsible
responsible for for his
his actions.
actions.
Reason is part of how people can know
God and know what he wants for this
world .

To be fully human, man must use

his rationality in rejecting evil and
in choosing good according to
God’s will and commandment.
 C. PERSONS ARE EMBODIED SPIRITS.

God breathed life into man with body

and soul. There’s unity between the
body and the soul.
It is through the body that people
interact with the world, and through the
body that the people worship God.

To be fully human, body and soul cannot be dichotomized from each other; both body
and soul must be nourished and sanctified. How did Jesus emphasize this in his
ministry?
The soul gives life to the body and the body is the instrument that can lead the
soul, after death, either to eternal damnation or blissful union with God.

St. Paul said that the “spirit is willing but the body is weak”; but he also
emphasized that “the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.”

Therefore, the body is an essential part of

man’s being fully human and not merely an
instrument of man according to his whim and
caprice.
D. PERSONS ARE HISTORICAL REALITIES.

As a historical reality, man undergoes the basic stages of human growth

and development. Man’s fullness of his being human also progresses as
he continues his journey as a pilgrim on earth toward God’s kingdom.

He may stumble and fall, but he has the

capacity to stand up and continue the journey.
He is not stagnant; there is always room for
change and growth for man as a human
person.
E. PERSONS ARE UNIQUE, YET EQUAL.

As aa human
As human person,
person, man
man isis unique
unique and
and distinct
distinct from
from each
each other.
other. No
No
twin isis identical.
twin identical. Man’s
Man’s uniqueness
uniqueness isis manifested
manifested in in physical
physical
differences, attitude,
differences, attitude, character,
character, talent,
talent, intellectual
intellectual and
and moral
moral capacities.
capacities.
Yet, despite these differences, men
are fundamentally equal when it
comes to human dignity, not for
what a person “has” but for what a
person “is” – the image and
likeness of God – with same origin,
destiny and divine calling.
 THE NON-CHRISTIAN VIEW OF MAN

A. PLAYBOY PHILOSOPHY OF HEDONISM

Man isis seen

Man seen asas an
an object
object whose
whose
purpose isis to
purpose to help
help others
others attain
attain
happiness, especially
happiness, especially of
of the
the physical
physical
type. Man
type. Man escapes
escapes total
total commitment
commitment
which involves
which involves sacrifice
sacrifice or
or pain
pain
because itit diminishes
because diminishes pleasure.
pleasure.
Hedonism makes
Hedonism makes andand glorifies
glorifies
pleasure, aa god
pleasure, god and
and an
an ultimate
ultimate end
end ofof
life.
life.
B. HUMANISM
This philosophy is atheistic in nature and materialistic
in application. Man has no moral responsibility and no
eternal purpose. Man is exalted as the highest being;
God is dethroned, man is deified.

As the highest being, man’s thoughts and

actions are always right. Humanists advocate
unbridled freedom and is a self-serving, self-
centered philosophy.
C. MARXIAN-COMMUNISM
Man’s worth is only in so far as he helps the interest of the
state; he is an entity subordinated to the society. Thus,
individual rights such as rights to worship, life, work as
one pleases, private ownership, speech, education, etc,
can only exist if the state thinks them useful.

Karl Marx
D. ATHEISTIC-EXISTENTIALISM

Believes that man is radically alone and

separate from others and believes that a person
is born into absurdity and feels nauseated as he
realizes this. Man sees no meaning in life
because no one can help him, even God. Life
after all is void of meaning and purpose.

There is no human nature, since there is no God to conceive it. Not only is man
what he conceives himself to be, but he is also only what he wills himself to be
after this thrust toward existence" (Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism)
E. ORIENTAL PHILOSOPHY

Exponents: Buddha, Lao Tzu and

Confucius

Believes that man should live a life of

gentle submission to the cosmic powers
flowing in the universe – powers that
control man’s happiness and destiny in
life.
 F. GREEK PHILOSOPHY

Proponents: Socrates, Plato and

Aristotle

This view believes that man is a knower (all-knowing) before his birth.

His soul pre-existed his body. His soul is pure and his mind knows all things, but
because of his exile in the world of sense (earth) he blurred or forget all or almost
all of what he knew.
The solution to his ignorance is to
achieve all that he knew in his
former self. Evil is mostly due to
ignorance or the limitation of man’s
present knowledge.
G. NIHILISM
Philosophy that denies the existence of
genuine moral truths and asserts the
ultimate meaninglessness of life or of
the universe.

A nihilist believes that there

aren't absolutes - no absolute
meaning or purpose for life, no
absolute moral standards.
That does not exclude belief in
a god.
WHAT NOW?

Our concept of ourselves as

human persons can influence
our decisions and behaviors as
agents of morality. Knowing
ourselves makes it easier for
us to understand what
Christian Morality is.
CLOSING PRAYER: Prayer for the
Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, powerful Consoler, sacred Bond of the Father and the Son, Hope of the
afflicted, descend into my heart and establish in it your loving dominion. Enkindle in my
tepid soul the fire of your Love so that I may be wholly subject to you. We believe that
when you dwell in us, you also prepare a dwelling for the Father and the Son. Deign,
therefore, to come to me, Consoler of abandoned souls, and Protector of the needy. Help
the afflicted, strengthen the weak, and support the wavering. Come and purify me. Let
no evil desire take possession of me. You love the humble and resist the proud. Come to
me, glory of the living, and hope of the dying. Lead me by your grace that I may always
be pleasing to you. Amen.

-Saint Augustine of Hippo