The Body

Respects
God’s Image
LESSON 3
Learning Goals:
Explain the dignity of the
human person •Praise God through the body

Moral Doctrine Worship

Point out how love is

concretized through the body
 Explore: Human Body
• For humans, the normal pulse is 70 heart beats
per minute.
• If all the blood vessels in your body were laid end
to end, then would reach about 60,000 miles
• In one day, your heart beats 100,000 times.
 Explore: Human Body
• Half your body’s red blood cells are replaced every
seven days.
• By the time you are 70, you will have easily drunk
over 12,000 gallons of water.
• A human’s small intestines is 6 meters long
 Explore: Human Body
• The human body is 75% water.
• Your brain in 80% water
• 85% of the population can curl their tongue into a
tube
• Our tongue has 3,000 taste buds
 Explore: Human Body
• Sneeze travels at over 100 miles per hour.
• There were about 300 bones in your body when you were born,
but by the time you reach adulthood you only have 206.
• The smallest bones in the human body are in your ear.

Source:http:/www.funology.com/facts-about-the-human-body/
Explore:
Commercials and advertisements are the fastest and
the most effective way to introduce and invite people
to buy products. Some are filled with values while
others are just plain and simple.
Watch this Video
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the product?
2. What is the relationship between the product and the people?
3. What is the underlying message of the video?
4. How do the products affect the way we understand the people in
the ads?
FIRM-UP
There is one
fundamental fact
about us- that we are
bodily persons.
 Dualistic view of the human person

Understanding of human person has often been distorted.

◦Some have rejected the nature of the body of the human
person, seeing it like a machine the human spirits runs.
◦ Others have denied the spiritual essence of the human person,
emphasizing only his/her bodily nature.
Humans have no set purpose in life and are
made in two distinct substances: a material Body Human Soul “When the body dies, the
mind or soul, and a material body soul survive”
Against dualistic view of human person,
The Bible makes it clear that the human person is an embodied spirit.
He/she has body and soul, not one before the other but simultaneous.
Paul in his letter to the Romans teaches us:

◦ I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as
a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not
conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your
mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and
pleasing and perfect (Rom. 12:1-2).
“Offering your bodies as living sacrifice”. To Paul, offering one’s
body means offering to God one’s self. He is not pointing out the
separation of the body and the spirit but its unity. He called upon
the early Christians to begin by changing the way they though,
where there was a strong separation between the body and the soul
that they could serve God even doing no good for other people. So,
Paul tells them, “The mind in you must be the mind that is in Christ”
(Phil. 2:5)
Body and God’s Plan
The Church teaches appreciation of the body.
The assertion that the Catholic Church's teachings on sexuality
devalue sex is not correct.
The Church teaches as it does because it values human sexuality so
highly.
She understands necessarily the value of the body as revealed and
reflected in God’s plan of salvation.
Church Teachings
The body points to the doctrine of creation. God created
our first parents as bodily beings. “Male and female he
created them” (Gen. 1:27), a distinction is made evident on
the bodily level. This implies that God’s creative design,
women are not “misbegotten males.” They are not merely
“added” simply because man is alone. Man and woman are
distinct bodily but of the same dignity.
Church Teachings
After creation of man and woman in God’s image and likeness, He
said: “And behold, it was very good” (Gen.1:31). All that the give is
good. As one of these, our bodylines is a blessing.

The body points to the doctrine of Incarnation. In Jesus Christ,

God became a human being flesh and blood. The Gospel of John
puts it: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn.1:14)
Church Teachings
The body points to the doctrine of our redemption by Christ.
Jesus came to redeem. This entails pains and suffering. He suffered
the way a human person suffers. John scrupulously records the flow
of blood and water from Jesus ‘pierced side (cf. Jn. 19:34). He was a
real human being who suffered a real human body. When He died,
we do not say, “Jesus’ body died for us,” but, “Jesus died for us.
“His identity as God, Incarnate and fullness of His redemptive life
and death both are bound up with His human body.
Church Teachings
Jesus’ victory over death was manifested by bodily
resurrection. Jesus did not conquer sin and death only
by dying. All good people die, but Jesus’ victory was
accomplished in His rising. If we die with Christ ,
then, we will rise in our bodies with Him on the last
day.
Church Teachings
The body points to eschatology (concerning end times or final
things). In the Creed, we say, “We believe in the resurrection of the
body”; and we believe that on the last day, at the end of time, all of
us will enter as bodily beings to heaven or else to hell. (Rev.21:8).
This resurrection of the body part of the reintegration and restoration
of all the things in Christ, who “fills all in all” (Eph. 1:23). And in
the end, “death shall be no more” (Rev.21:4)
Human Dignity
 One basic truth about us is that we are created in God’s
image and likeness. As such, we possess a dignity more
than the other creatures in the world.
 We are gifted with intellect and will, enabling to think
and choose, decide, and direct all our thoughts, words
and actions.
Human Dignity
 Being in the image of God the human individual
possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just
something, but someone. He is capable of self-
knowledge, of self-possession and of free giving
himself and entering into communion with other
persons. (CCC, 357)
Human Dignity
 We come to understand more of our dignity when the Son of God
became flesh. He died for us, for our salvation.
 The question here is, who are we for God to die for? Definitely, no one
will sacrifice his/her own life it is unworthy to do so. By sending His
Son to save us, we come to realize our dignity, not just mere creatures
but adopted sons and daughters.
 Also, we are capable to know our calling, mission, and purpose in this
world. These are united in the person of Jesus Christ.