7/30/2019 Year of Faith Companion 2013-01-13
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Equal in DignityWe are made in the image of God, not because we
physically look like Him, butbecause we have the spiritual powers
to know (intellect) and love (will). We aremade in the image of God
and so are unique and precious among all of creation.This one fact,
that God loved us into being in His image and sustains us by
Hisove, shows forth each persons great dignity. Everyoneyou, your
family, yourfriends, the rich and famous, the poor and homeless,
the unborn and the eld-
erlyall have human dignity and should be treated with honor and
respect. Whenwe acknowledge the inherent goodness and dignity of
each person, there is noonger room for any type of discrimination.
When we can see each person as achild of God, a son or daughter of
the Father, then the way that we treat themshould change as
well.
Equal but not the SameWhile we hold that every human is equal in
dignity, we also know that there isgreat diversity among us. Our
equal dignity does not means that we will be equaln talent, or
money or fame. As St. Paul tells us in his first letter to the
Corin-thians, There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the
same Spirit; there are
different forms of service but the same Lord; there are
different workings but thesame God who produces all of them in
everyone. (4-6) To each of us has beengiven great dignity and one
or many gifts. We are called to acknowledge and re-
spect the dignity found in each person, to developthe gifts that
we find within ourselves, and to helpothers to develop and use the
gifts that they havebeen given. We are first called to love, honor
andsupport those around us in our families and commu-nities, and
then, by the means given to us, in soli-darity with one another, to
help others in the world.
2012-201313 January 2013
The Dignity of the Human PersonGod is the sovereign maste
his plan. But to carry it ou
also makes use of his cre
tures cooperation. This us
not a sign of weakness, b
rather a token of almigh
Gods greatness and goodn
For God grants his creatu
not only their existence, b
also the dignity of acting
their own, of being causes
principles for each other,
thus of cooperating in the
complishment of his pla
CCC 306
The dignity of man rests above all on the factthat he is called
to communion with God. Thisnvitation to converse with God is
addressed toman as soon as he comes into being. For if
man exists, it is because God has created himthrough love, and
through love continues tohold him in existence. He cannot live
fully ac-cording to the truth unless he freely acknowl-
edges that love and entrusts himself to hiscreator.
Gaudium et spes 19
St. Paul, when talking about the many members of
the Church, also tells us that, As a body is onethough it has
many parts, and all the parts ofthe body, though many, are one
body, so also
Christ. (1 Cor. 12)
There is great diversity in the bodyeyes, hands,feetbut all
parts are important. So too with humanWe have great diversity, but
each person is importan
This week, help those around you to see their greatworth. This
can be done by telling them how impor-tant they are, thanking them
for something they did
or doing something for them.
C
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I distribute the virtues qdiversely; I do not give a
them to each person, bsome to one, some to oters...I have willed
that o
should need another and all should be my ministerdistributing
the graces a
gifts they have received fme.
St. Catherine of Siena, Dialo
Created by Chris Carmody: [email protected] and Stephanie
Rangel: [email protected]
