The ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’ paragraphs 1929 to 1933, refers to ‘Respect for the Human Person’. These paragraphs form part of Article 3 regarding ‘Social Justice’. I wonder what comes to your mind concerning respect for the human person? For sure we listen to a lot of debates and news items concerning the issue of respect for the human person. One can listen and read various ideas of what does it really mean regarding respect for the human person.
The way I see it, is that man was created by God. God being a loving Father, created man for a personal relationship with him. A personal relationship built on love. So, the answer is simple. Respect for the human person requires love. Paragraph 1931 of the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’ quotes that ‘Respect for the human person proceeds by way of respect for the principle that “everyone should look upon his neighbor (without any exception) as ‘another self,’ above all bearing in mind his life and the means necessary for living it with dignity.” No legislation could by itself do away with the fears, prejudices, and attitudes of pride and selfishness which obstruct the establishment of truly fraternal societies. Such behavior will cease only through the charity that finds in every man a “neighbor,” a brother.’
Every human person is to be loved as a neighbour. Everyone is to live in dignity, no matter from which country our neighbour comes from. God who created every neighbour we come across in our lives, asks us to love our neighbour as‘another self’. Through this personal relationship between God and man, God through His abundance of love, showers man with His mercy, comfort and with unconditional love. God created man to live with ‘neighbours’ and through their respect towards each other, the love of God enriches their life, experiencing the tremendous love of the Holy Trinity.
Respect for the human person, is to love God.
( to view the video ‘Respect for the Human Person’ kindly visit this YouTube link:
https://youtu.be/bJyzYI6Zahw )
( to listen to the podcast of ‘Respect for the Human Person’ kindly visit this SoundCloud link:
https://soundcloud.com/george-calleja-1/respect-for-the-human-person )
Thank you George for sharing this very meaningful lesson with us!
I am George Calleja from Malta; I am married and have two children. In 2009 I obtained my MBA through the University of Leicester.
During the years 1990 to 1996 I was a full time missionary with ‘The International Catholic Programme for Evangelization – ICPE’ and have evangelized in various countries, such as Russia, Ghana, Poland, Germany, and Malta amongst others. Since 1997, I am an active member of the Focolare Movement in Malta.
In November 2014 I published my first Christian Book ‘Peace and Unity in our lives – Volume One’, and have already published another 15 Books. While I hope that you find spiritual growth through reading my articles, I promise to keep you always in my prayers.
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A timely subject when all around respect for the human being has been abandoned by selfish ambition and the me-first philosophy. How much better to follow Jesus and to love one another with His love, to care about what happens to others and to do what we can to help them when they are in need. How much more rewarding this is!
Totally agree with you Diane…. We are to continue to pray for every human person. God Bless you
First for us to respect others, we must first respect ourselves. People want us to earn respect, and that’s the sad condition of our world.
We are to love each and every neighbour…. and yes we are to respect ourselves first and that is to live in God’s love.