Who am I supposed to listen to?

Week 3: Life and Dignity of the Human Person

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I remember the moment I locked eyes with my newborn son. I was stunned.

I love you. I love you and can’t wait to see the person you’ll become. My mission became giving him what he needed to live—a home, food, medicine, clothing, and education. I promised to always care for him, no matter what.

God made each of us with those very same thoughts in mind.

We are all made in the image of God. Simply because of that, we have dignity—a God-given gift that is inherent, not earned. We aren’t just something, but someone, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. When we look at someone, we acknowledge their worth as a person made in the image of God.

Human dignity is the cornerstone of Catholic Social Teaching.

The first time my son came home crushed from being teased on the playground, I was crushed, too. For some of us, being teased by another child—by a sibling, or a kid on the playground—is our first experience of being denied dignity. For most of us, these experiences fade over time. Society reaffirms our dignity through praise.

But for so many in our society, being told "you're worth less than everyone else" is a daily occurrence.

When we deny someone’s dignity—when we insult or devalue them because of the color of their skin, their gender, where they were born, or how they arrived on our doorstep—we’re disrespecting a creation of God.

As Catholics, we “must never turn a blind eye” when people “are being deprived of their human dignity.”

As the USCCB puts it:

“Indifference is not an option.”

Evils like racism deny “the dignity of a human person,” says Archbishop Vigneron. “Each of us is made in the image and likeness of God so we can flourish and accomplish the destiny for which He made us.”

When someone is denied their dignity, they’re denied their right to feel like a person. When someone’s dignity isn’t honored, the necessities of life end up out of reach due to social injustice.

We need to reform institutions that deny people their dignity. We need to give all of God’s children equal respect. But most of all, we need to teach ourselves to respect the dignity of others.

What would our world look like if we respected the dignity of every human being?
What if we strove to provide for the needs of every human being?

Let’s spend this week thinking about it.

“Lord, let me see you in everyone I see, hear you in their voice, and respond to them with love and respect, as you taught me to do” (Luke 10:29-37).

Modern Catholic explores the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching and how they can guide our lives today. Join us next week to learn about the second principle—Call to Family, Community, and Participation.

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