ST.

VINCENT’S COLLEGE INCORPORATED

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Padre Ramon St., Estaka, Dipolog City
Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines

COLLEGE OF ARTS & EDUCATION

COURSE INFORMATION
Course Course
CHRISTIAN MORALITY
Number Title
Course
Instructor
Code
Course Email Consultation
By appointment
Credit Address Hours
School 2020- Class
To be arranged Room
Year 2021 Schedule
COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course provides the students with an ethical standard on how he/she deals with his
fellows.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completing the course students can:

 Actualize the values of a true catholic Christian as espoused by Saint Vincent Ferrer:
 Concretize the significance of genuine scholarship in the day to day undertaking ; exhibit total
human and environmental concern; manifest leadership capabilities, critical thinking and sound
judgement; initiate social reforms which are necessary in building a people-oriented society;
demonstrate holistic confidence as persons with total educational training and background; express
one’s appreciation of the importance of education as a major component of human growth and
development; and apply teacher education theories and principles learned to the actual practice of
the profession;
 Sustain the thirst for knowledge and wisdom and uphold free-thinking in pursuit of better ways to
serve God and humanity;
 Create and use business opportunities for the employment of the self and that of others that may
bring the graduates to a life abundance;
 Live a life a tenacious frugality that may manifest one’s deep understanding of business and
economic principles and
 Fearlessly stand for beliefs and principles in the face of daunting adversity epitomized by Saint
Vincent Ferrer.
 COURSE OUTLINE
Preliminary Term Midterm Semi-Final Term Final Term

Week 1 - 2 Week 3 Week 4 & 5 Week 7 & 8

Course Orientation III. HumanFreedo V. Sources of VIII. Kinds of Laws:

m Christian Natural Laws,
a. Human Morality Divine Law,
I. General Freedom a. Object/ Moral Law and
Notion And Act Human Law
of Responsibility itself IX. Conscience
Christia b. Circu a. Concept of
n IV. Human Acts mstanc Conscience
Morality and Acts of e b. Moral
Man c. Intenti Conscience
II. Human a. Concept on c. Categories
Person and nature VI. Modifiers of
a. Philo of Human of Human Consciecne
sophi acts Acts d. Formation
cal b. Constituent a. Ignora and
View Principles nce Developmen
of of Human b. Fear t of
Hum Acts: c. Concu Consciecne
an Knowledge, piscenc X. Virtues
Perso Freedom e/Passi a. Theological
n and on Virtues
b. Chris Voluntarin d. Violen b. Cardinal
tian ess ce Virtues
View e. Habits
of
Hum Textbook: Week 6 Textbook:
an Christian Morality in Christian Morality in
Perso Contemporary Society, VII. Sin And Contemporary Society,
n Grace
Revised Edition Revised Edition
By: Esteban T. Salibay, Jr., Textbook: By: Esteban T. Salibay, Jr.,
Ed.D. Christian Morality in Ed.D.
Contemporary
Textbook: Basic Teachings of the Basic Teachings of the
Society, Revised
Christian Morality in Great Philosophers Great Philosophers
Edition
Contemporary By: S.E. Frost, JR. By: S.E. Frost, JR.
By: Esteban T.
Society, Revised
Salibay, Jr., Ed.D.
Edition Catechism of the Catholic Catechism of the Catholic
By: Esteban T. Church Basic Teachings of the Church
 Salibay, Jr., Ed.D. Great Philosophers
Catechism for Filipino By: S.E. Frost, JR. Catechism for Filipino
Basic Teachings of Catholics Catholics
the Great Catechism of the
Philosophers Catholic Church
By: S.E. Frost, JR.
Christian Communtiy Catechism for Filipino Christian Communtiy Bible
Catechism of the Bible – Catholic Pastoral Catholics – Catholic Pastoral Edition
Catholic Church Edition
Christian Communtiy
Catechism for Bible – Catholic
Filipino Catholics Pastoral Edition

Christian
Communtiy Bible –
Catholic Pastoral
Edition

The General Notion of Christian Morality in Philosophical and Christian View of Human
Person
Time Duration and Allotment: Week 1 & 2; 12 hours

Abstract:

This study enhances the understanding of Christian Morality in dissimilar turfs of

erudition and methods.

Lesson Objectives:

As the end of this module, the students must be able to:

 Define ethics and its importance

 Identify the characteristics of moral issues and the nature of Ethical predicaments
 Classify some moral issues dilemmas.
 Categorize the philosophical view of man and its Christian perspective in view of human
person in attaining the ultimate end of man.
 Module Guide:

1. Study topic content presented below.

2. Answer the exercises presented after the topic content below.

TOPIC CONTENT:

 There are more important things in life than the way we think about ourselves and others.
 We need to tackle a certain topic that could relate to our behavior towards others often emanates from
what we think about humankind in general.
 The belief we consciously or unconsciously hold about others strikingly determines our behavior
towards them.
 There are instances when we do not understand the way we feel about, and treat other people.
 We need to understand the different views on what a person is and what are the factors influenced
such views.
 A various line of thinking from famous philosophers that embrace the understanding of man and
woman.
 An illustration contrasting views on how we look at life and find some meaning in that life.
 And to understand the God-human relationship on which morality is based, it is necessary to
understand man/woman not only in the abstract but also in a concrete time and place. In the Christian
view, a person is a creature made in the image of God, fallen, but is given a life in the likeness of
Christ as active agent in the history of salvation.

Human Freedom; Human Acts and Acts of Man

Abstract:
 This study focuses on the dignity of the human person as it is rooted in his/her nature as
“created in the image and likeness of God”.

Lesson Objectives:

As a result of completing this learning module, students will be able to:

 Identify and comprehend the basic terminologies in ethics and explain the
significance of freedom to the study of morality.
 Recognize his/her action and its relation to moral responsibility and be able to explain
the necessary role of freedom and rationality in human actions.

Module Guide:

3. Study topic content presented below.

4. Answer the exercises presented after the topic content below.

TOPIC CONTENT
 Taken from the encyclical Dignitatis Humanae as stated: “The demand is inceasingly made that
people should act on their own judgment, enjoying and making use of a responsible freedom, not
driven by coercion but motivated by a sense of duty”. DH #1
 It is clearly defined in Gaudium et Spes, “an authentic sign of God’s presence and purpose… for
authentic is an exceptional sign of the divine image within man/woman.” GS 11,17
 Authentic freedom is not “the right to say and do nothing” but to “do good”. CCC #1740
 Lovers of true freedom who come to decisions on their own judgment and in the light of truth, and
govern their activities with a sense of responsibility, striving after what is true and right. DH 8
 Investigate the concept and nature of man’s actions, both human acts and acts of man.

Christian Morality
In Contemporary Society
UNIT I
 Who Am I?
” But only God, who created man His own image and ransomed him from sin, provides a fully
adequate answer to (man’s basic) questions… revealed in Christ His Son who became man.
Whoever follows Christ, the perfect man, becomes himself more of a man.’

INTRODUCTION

This unit will answer how we have been gifted with intellect and will, and how we, as God’s
masterpieces, have been created in His likeness and re called to communion with Him. Called to
be God’s co-creators, we are entrusted with the responsibility to relate starting with ourselves,
with other human beings, and finally, with God. We have been redeemed in Christ, so our
actions are not simply instinctive but coming from our nature as human beings who can know the
truth and choosing that truth with love and dignity.
There are more important things in life than the way thinks about us and others. This is
because our behavior towards others often emanates from what we think about human kind in
general. The belief we consciously or unconsciously hold about others strikingly determines our
behavior towards them. As human beings, there are instances when we do not understand the
way we feel about, and treat other people. Have we liked a person the first time we met him or
her? Did we notice how we acted towards the person? Did we understand why we were kind,
considerate, and well disposed towards him/her? Sometimes, we do not like a person without
understanding why. We are rude and short-tempered with him or her for no apparent reason.
Perhaps the reason lies in our initial negative impression of the person which has sunk into our
consciousness and has made us relate negatively to him/her.
There are different views on what a person is and these views are influenced by various
factors. There are certain assumptions about human beings and theories that we naturally, and
very often unconsciously, absorb without critically examining their validity. Environmental
factors like advertising, sports, movies, television, business, ethics, and many other social
pressures greatly affect the way we view a person and consequently how we act.
A couple of examples can be cited to better understand the point. First is the world of
modern advertising. Commercials for deodorants, mouthwashes, skin blemish removers, and
other cosmetics have been predicated on the basic assumption that a person needs to be
physically attractive to have worth in the eyes of other people. Advertising practitioners sell to
the public the concept that to have good breath and a white tooth is to be good person while to
have bad breath is to be socially undesirable. This view affects our relationship with others. We
may judge the value of others based on the externals rather than on the internals. Then so-called
“beautiful people” are not better than the rest of us, but advertisements and movies make them
out to be the ideal people the rest of us must emulate and imitate.
 The second example comes from the world of business and politics. It is all right for a
person to “get away with something.” Thus, prices can be inflated through price-fixing, or secret
contributions can be used to influenced policies. These unethical practices are seen as acceptable
as long as the business person or the politician can get away with them. Oftentimes, we hear the
excuses that anyway “everyone is doing it.” This mindset affects the public who are generally
considered too naïve to know the corruption that is going on and are easily led to “buy” almost
anything that their business and political leaders sell them.
This rather callous view of humanity is not much different from the view of advertising
that considers a person merely as a body to be beautified.
Sometimes, students adopt this view. Students, especially those who do not want to study
at all and just depend on others, consider this view as acceptable as long as one can get away
with it. Their mottoes in life are “ It is okay to cheat as long as you are not caught” and “ It is
better to cheat than to repeat.” These beliefs condition them to think that a person by nature is a
cheater and it is all right to be dishonest. Dishonesty is in our nature. Society allows a dishonest
act and everybody is doing it. This is a very pessimistic, unchristian perspective. This should be
corrected.

DIFFERENT PHILOSPHIES AND HOW ONE SHOULD ACT

But the basic question remains unanswered; “Who am I?” Let us consider the descriptions of
man/woman by philosophers from different places and in different times. For the sake of this
exercise, the descriptions are considered and contain kernels of ideas characterizing a particular
way of looking at who we are. As you read each philosophy, try to recall a person who embraces
this particular line of thinking.
 Philosophy #1: “ I cannot live locked up inside myself, I must be open to the world and
those around me. I must be meditative so that other people and the forces found in the
universe can flow through me ---- so that I can overcome all illusions about myself and
the world and thus discover an ultimate reality.”
 Philosophy #2: “I’m here for one purpose: to get as much out of life as I can. Pain and
suffering are evils that must be avoided at all costs. The main thing in life is to always
feel good.”
 Philosophy #3: “My purpose in life is to work for the glorification of the group. The
individual has no worth as such. I’m like a small cog in a big machine as I submit my
efforts to the larger efforts of the state.”
 Philosophy #4: “I must do whatever I can to increase my own ‘freedom.’ Freedom means
doing what I want to do. To hell with other people. What is good is that which furthers
my interests”
 Philosophy #5: “In the light of death, life has no real meaning. It is a joke – the tale of an
idiot signifying nothing.”
  Philosophy #6: “I have worth. I must strive to live a life of loving service to my fellow
human beings, all of whom, in the last analysis, are my brothers and sisters. Life has a
final meaning which resides outside of me, that is, in God and in my relationship with
Jesus Christ.
These simplified examples illustrate contrasting views on how we look at life and find some
meaning in that life. These descriptions represent the following major views:
 Philosophy #1: describes an Oriental view of man/woman. Some Buddhists, for example,
try to live a gentle submissiveness to the cosmic powers flowing in the universe. They try
to let these powers control their destiny.
 Philosophy #2: corresponds to the playboy/playgirl theory of life. This is also known as
hedonism, in which pleasure, especially of the physical, sensual type, is almost
considered is god. This philosophy is espoused through advertisements appearing on the
pages of popular magazines.
 Philosophy #3: delineates a communistic view of man/woman. The best – known
exponent of this way of life is Karl Marx who preached that the individual has worth only
to the degree that he/she helps the interests of the state. Over half of the world’s
population subscribe to this view of humanity.
 Philosophy #4: depicts an extremely individualistic way of looking at man/woman. It is
also called atheistic existentialism, and its most famous proponent is French writer Jean-
Paul Sartre. Unlike John Donne who wrote that no man is an island unto himself, Sartre
claimed that each person is radically alone and separated from all others.
 Philosophy #5: presents a nihilistic worldview which maintains that a person and his/her
life have no ultimate meaning. This philosophy was especially popular in Europe during
the aftermath of the Great Depression (1929-1939), and in our country during the last two
decades before the third millennium (1980-1990s). This philosophy maintains that
material things will give meaning to a person’s life on earth; thus, the accumulation of
material wealth and properties takes precedence over the ultimate things in life. Nothing
is more important than material possessions.
 Philosophy #6: illustrates a Christian way of life.
What we think of a person greatly affects the way we act towards others. The
playboy/playgirl philosophy of hedonism views the person as an object whose purpose in life is
merely to help oneself attain happiness. In relating to others, the playboy/playgirl frowns upon
any total commitment to the other which might involve sacrifice or pain, two emotional states
that will lessen his/her pleasure. Thus, a total and permanent commitment like marriage is
unacceptable for the playboy/playgirl type. Marriage for the playboy/playgirl is only all right as
long as it is temporary and he/she will not be inconvenienced or asked to sacrifice.
This Marxist-communist view of man/woman strongly appeals to many people in the world
today. In this view of man/woman, the group is superior to the individual. Individual rights,
therefore, only exist through the whim of the state. The right to worship, to work where one
pleases, and to speak out freely against injustices will be curtailed if the larger group – the state -
wants them limited. The state gives the individuals their rights. People in themselves do not have
any right unless the state grants it to them at the state’s own caprices. Individual right to life, as
such, does not exist. Abortion, murder of political dissidents, and suppression of religious
practice will be official policies if the state thinks them useful.
The atheistic-existentialist view is very individualistic and pragmatic. An atheist like Jean-
Paul Sartre believes that a person is born into absurdity and feels nausea when he/she realizes
this. A certain amount of absurdity can be overcome when the individual chooses to be
himself/herself, but as he/she chooses, he/she feels alone in despair. Life has no ultimate
meaning. No one can help him/her, not even God. The individual is the master of his/her own
life, the marker of his/her own fate. Some existentialists who accept this view of reality (though
not Sartre himself) see no reason to help better condition of humanity. After all, what is the sense
of cleaning up a polluted environment, or working for peace, or equitably distributing the goods
of the world? Such efforts, in the last analysis, are folly because life itself has no meaning. Since
man is fundamentally and radically alone and isolated from others, why bother with social
concerns?
We are bombarded daily by these various views of man/woman which call our attention as
Christians. These views emanate from politics, communications media, and everyday life. At
times, these views confuse us, and we do not know which are to be accepted or rejected. Are we
just bodies who are to give in to every pleasure that comes along? Is man/woman just a sheep in
a flock that is easily led? Does life have meaning?
If we do formulate for ourselves a proper image of man/woman, of who we are, we will
easily fall into accepting a view which is not at the core of our being a Christian. For a Christian,
action is a way of life. He/She does not easily and unthinkingly accept everything that comes
along. He/She has a definite vision and acts according to that vision. He/She is very reluctant to
be tossed about by what others would like him/her to be – whether as a pleasure machine, a cog
in a smoothly functioning operation, or an isolated individual.
The Christian decides the course if his/her own life because he/she knows that “not to decide
is to decide.” The Christian relates positively towards others because he/she has accepted in faith
the word of God. It is precisely this vision that we receive from God’s word.

THE HUMAN PERSON: A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE

To understand the God-human relationship on which morality is based, it is necessary to
understand man/woman not only in the abstract but also in a concrete time and place. In the
Christian view, a person is a creature made in the image of God, fallen, but is given a life in the
likeness of Christ as an active agent in the history of salvation.
HUMAN BEINGS AS ESSENTIALLY GOOD
 In Genesis, we note that “God looked at everything he had made, and He found it very good”
(Gen. 1:31). It is precisely because we are created in the very image of God that we are
essentially good. Every human being is born with a natural inclination to do good and to avoid
evil, and with the capacity to distinguish between right and wrong. What a refreshing thought
this is in contradistinction to the philosophies of life which hold that man is evil and has no
worth. Maintaining that we are good at the core of our being should give us hope concerning our
ultimate destiny.
One important implication comes from an understanding of humanity as an image of God
which reflects His goodness: the more the person acts according to the way he/she is made, the
more he/she reflects the Creator. Man/woman gives glory to God by being man/woman. We are
not, as taught by pessimistic philosophies, mere clods of earth. We are reflections and images of
the Creator. St. Ireneus once said: “The glory of God is man fully alive.”

CREATED IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD

Physically, man/woman is composed of external and internal organ human becomes evident
when he/she starts to share his/her thoughts and ideas with others and to express his/l her love
and concern for others. Unlike other creatures, man/woman has a superiority and dignity
inherited from God alone. As God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let
them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattie, and over all the
wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground. God created man in His image; in the
divine image He created him; male and female He created them" (Gen. 1:26-27).
The dignity of the human person is rooted in his/her being created in the very image and
likeness of his/her own Creator, God Himself. What a tremendous thought this is! By being
created in the very image of God, a person's very activity of thinking and loving-in fact, his/ her
very being-reflects the beauty, the wisdom, and the love of the Creator.
Endowed with "a spiritual and immortal" soul,' the human person is "the only creature on earth
that God has willed for its own sake." From his/her conception, he she is destined for eternal
beatitude.
The human person participates in the light and power of the divine Spirit. By his/her reason,
he/she is capable of understanding the order of things established by the Creator. By free will,
he/she is capable of directing himself/herself toward his/her true good. He/She finds his/her
perfection "in seeking and loving what is true and good. Fr. Ruben J. Villote, in his article
"Sapagkat Kami'y Tao Lamang, says reprimandingly that "we don't seem to realize that being
truly human is to proudly accept the fact that we have the power to become the best thing in all
creation precisely because it is the human person, and no other, that God created in His own
image (Gen.1:27). To belittle this fact is to say that a person is only an animal, and that human
society is a society of animals that look like men/women, and men/women who look like
animals."
 This "sense of the dignity of the human person has been impressing itself more and more
deeply on the consciousness of contemporary person." The inviolable dignity of every human
person is the most precious possession of an individual, (whose) value comes not from what a
person has as much as from what he/she 'is." One must not only look at man's/woman's external
realities that may be only one percent of his/her totality. Rather, one should focus on
man's/woman's inner aspect which is 99 percent of his/her totality. One commits an act of
injustice to a person when he/she makes judgment according to that person's physical
appearance. One has to go beyond the external aspect of man/woman. The consideration of the
inner consciousness of man/woman-where the spirit, values, and truth reside-is the best way to
know who the person is. It is in his/ her inner aspect and spirit where a person's dignity as a child
of God "created in His image and likeness" lies.

HUMAN FREEDOM
In the world today, there is an unprecedented drive for freedom, for breaking out of all the old
structures of political oppression, racial prejudice, economic injustice, and constricting cultural
mores. The EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue) Revolution, which is also known as the
People Power Revolution of 1986, was the manifestation of the Filipino people's hunger for
freedom from a regime of political tyranny and oppression. This historical event finally
overthrew the 20-year Marcos dictatorship.
The Dignitatis Humanae states: 1he demand is increasingly made that people should act on their
own judgment, enjoying and making use of a responsible freedom, not driven by coercion but
motivated by a sense of duty (DH, #1). Since "the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of
freedom and a force for liberation (DH, 2), we recognize here "an authentic sign of Gods
presence and purpose for authentic freedom is an exceptional sign of the divine image within
man/ woman (GS 11,17).
God created the human person as a rational being. conferring on him/her the dignity of an
individual what can initiate and control his/her actions. God willed that man woman should be
left in the hand of his/her own counsel so that he/she might, of his/her own accord, seek his/her
Creator and freely attain his/her full blessed perfection by cleaving to Him Man/Woman is
"rational and, therefore, like God. He/She is created with free will and is master over his/her acts.
Freedom is the power-rooted in reason and will-to act or not to act, to do this or that, and to
perform deliberate actions anchored to one's own responsibility. By free will, one shapes his/ her
own life. Human freedom is a force for growth and maturity in truth and goodness; it attains its
perfection when directed toward God, our beatitude (CCC, #1731). As long as freedom has not
bound itself definitively to its ultimate good which is God, there is the possibility of choosing
between good and evil, and thus growing in perfection or failing and sinning. This freedom
characterizes properly human acts. It is the basis of praise or blame, merit or reproach (CCC,
#1732). The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except
in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom
and leads to "the slavery of sin. "
 Human freedom is not simply "doing what I want." Authentic freedom is not "the right to say
and do anything but to "do the good" (cf. CCC 1740). It is not one's private possession but a
property to be shared by the community It is not found in prejudice, deceit, or ignorance, but in
truth. Christ's words, "the truth will set you free n 8:32), set truth as both the condition for
authentic freedom and a warning against every kind of illusory freedom, every superficial
unilateral freedom, every freedom that fails to enter into the whole truth about man and the world
(RH, 12). The Dignitatis Humanae declares: Lovers of true freedom [are those] who come to
decisions on their own judgment and in the light of truth, and govern their activities with a sense
of responsibility, striving after what is true and right" (DH, 8).

FREEDOM FROM
Authentic human freedom has many aspects, Ordinarily, we become sharply aware of the value
of our freedom only when we are forced to do something against our will. Then we realize how
much we long to be free from things imposed on us. But this freedom from all restraints can
often result in following selfish inclinations or blind prejudices rather than in seeking what is
truly good. St Paul warns us: "It was for liberty that Christ freed us. So stand firm, and do not
take on yourselves the yoke of slavery a second time! My brothers remember that you have been
called to live in freedom--but not a freedom that gives free rein to the flesh. Out of love, place
yourselves at one another's service. My point is that you should live in accord with the Spirit and
you will not yield to the cravings of the flesh (Gal. 5:1,13,16). St. Peter adds: Live as free men,
but do not use your freedom as a cloak for vice. In a word, live as servants of God" (1 Pt, 2:16).
Authentic freedom, therefore, involves first of all freedom from everything that opposes our
true self becoming with others in community which includes interior obstacles like ignorance,
disordered passions, fears, personality defects, bad habits, prejudices or psychological
disturbances, and exterior forces such as violent force or even the threat of violence. These
impediments to authentic freedom are commonly traced to three sources: biological, for example,
external defects caused by abusive use of substances like drugs; psychological or interior
compulsions, including those originating from the unconscious; and social pressures such as
various economic, political, and cultural obstacles which impede the right to freedom (cf. CCC,
#1740).
Because of these factors, our freedom-and thus moral imputability -and our responsibility are
diminished. But the greatest single obstacle to authentic freedom is sin (discussed in Unit Il),
Liberation for true freedom means first and foremost liberation from the radical slavery of sin"
(Instruction on Christian Freedom and Liberation, 23).

FREEDOM FOR
 But this "freedom from" is obviously directed towards a second freedom, the more important
"freedom for." Beyond being liberated from all the obstacles to authentic freedom is the freedom
for growing as full persons and children of God, sharing in the life of Christ our Liberator
through His Spirit, It is the freedom found in authentic love.
William E. May (1994), in his revised edition of An Introduction to Moral Theology, argues
that man/woman has a free choice: "A central truth of Christian revelation is that human persons,
created in the image and likeness of God, have the power of free choice, In order to create a
being to whom He could give His own life, God created persons (angelic and human) who have
the power to make or break their own lives by their own free choices." People's choices and
actions are their own, not the choices and actions of others. If God's offer of His own life and
friendship is to be a gift, it must be freely received; it cannot be forced on another or settled by
anything other than the free choice of the one who gives and the one to whom it is given. The
truth that human persons have the capacity to determine their own lives through their own free
choice is a matter of Christian faith. It is central to the Holy Scriptures, as the following passage
from the book of Sirach, cited by the Fathers of Vatican II in Gaudium et Spes (# 17), shows:
"Do not say, Because of the Lord I left the right way'; for He will not do what He hates. Do not
say, Tt was He who led me astray' for He has no need of a sinful man. The Lord hates all
abominations, and they are not loved by th0se who fear Him. It was He who created man in the
beginning, and He left him in the power of his own inclination. If you will, you can keep the
commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice. He has placed before you
fire and water: stretch out your hand for whichever you wish. Before a man are life and death,
and whichever he chooses will be given to him. For great is the wisdom of the Lord; He is
mighty in power and sees everything His eyes are on those who fear Him, and He knows every
deed of man. He has not commanded anyone to be ungodly, and He has not given any
permission to sin. (Sir. 15:11-20)
The reality of free choice, so central to the biblical understanding of man, was clearly affirmed
by the Church Fathers such as St. Augustine and by all the great scholastics. As St. Thomas
Aquinas said, it is only through free choice that human persons are masters of their own actions,
and in this way, beings made in the image and likeness of God." The great truth that human
persons are free to choose what they are to do and, through their choices, to make themselves to
be the persons that they want to be was solemnly defined by the Council of Trent. Vatican Il
stressed that the power of free choice "is an exceptional sign of the divine image within man"
(GS, 170).
Germain Grisez (1983) rightly notes that free choice is an existential principle or source of
morality. It is an existential principle of moral good and evil because moral good and evil depend
for their being on the power of free choice. This is so because what we do is our doing, and can
be evil doing or its opposite only if we freely choose to do it. A dog, a cat, or a chimp cannot be
morally good or evil, but human persons can because they have the power of free choice. It is
through free choice that human persons make themselves to be the sort of persons that they are,
and make themselves to be morally good or morally bad individuals. It is for this reason that free
choice is an existential principle of morality.
 Pope John Paul II also emphasizes the self-determining character of free choice and its
significance as the existential principle of morality. He writes that "freedom is not only the
choice for one or another particular action; it is also, within that choice, a decision about oneself
and a setting of one's own life for or against the Good, for or against the Truth, and ultimately,
for or against God" (VS, 65).

THE CONCEPT OF FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOM

The notion of "fundamental" or "basic" freedom and the significance of this freedom are
important for understanding the reality of the moral value of our human acts. Several advocates
of this notion have given an accurate idea of what this basic or fundamental freedom is all about.
One leading proponent of the view is Josef Fuchs (1970) who says: "Basic freedom, on the other
hand las contrasted with freedom of choice]. denotes a still more fundamental, deeper-rooted
freedom, not immediately accessible to psychological investigation. This is the freedom that
enables us not only to decide freely on particular acts and aims but also, by means of these, to
determine ourselves totally as persons and not merely in any particular act of behavior." This is
moral freedom in the highest sense.
Another proponent of the view says that there is another dimension of freedom. It is not the
freedom of choice to do a particular thing or not a choice of specific objects. It is rather the free
determination of oneself with regard to the totality of existence and its direction. It is a
fundamental choice between love and selfishness, between self and God, our destiny. This is
often called by recent theologians as the fundamental option, an act of fundamental liberty.
Still another advocate puts the matter this way: "According to this theory, man is structured in
a series of concentric circles or various levels. On the deepest level of the individual, at the
personal center, man's freedom decides, loves, and commits itself in the fullest sense of these
terms. This is the center of grave morality where man makes himself and his total existence good
or evil."
These descriptions of fundamental or basic freedom enable us to grasp the essential features of
fundamental freedom as proposed by many contemporary theologians. Joseph Boyle (1980) has
accurately and helpfully summarized these features when he writes:
"First of al, it [fundamental freedom] is exercised at the very core of the human person; thus it is
the locus of self-determination and hence of basic moral responsibility. Second, it does not have
as its object any particular action or set of actions, but rather its object is the entire self in its
relationship to God. Third, the exercise of fundamental freedom is not an action in any normal
sense of the word, Something like an option or preference is involved, but this preference is more
like a stance or attitude than an act of choosing. Furthermore, there is no explicit awareness of a
time when one took one's fundamental stance. It is none too clear exactly what the relationship
between free choice and the exercise of fundamental freedom is, but it is clear that one can
choose freely in a way inconsistent with the exercise of one's fundamental freedom without
altering the fundamental stance established by this freedom."
 As human persons, we always make decisions; and in the different dimensions of our life, we
make our own stance or commitment. The moral dimension of the Christian faith resides in
responding to God's grace by a wholehearted "yes to all the dimensions of life. This is called
"fundamental commitment" (sometimes termed fundamental option, basic life-orientation, etc.).
It is fundamental because it lies at the source of all our individual acts; it is commitment because
it is not inborn, not determined by nature and birth. We gradually become what we morally are
by what we morally do, i.e., how we act.
On the other hand, we have become what we are by our past free acts which direct and orient
our present acts. But our fundamental commitment guides our individual free choices. This is
true of our way of judging others; we view other people's personal acts in terms of their total
person-who they are. So too our standing before God is judged primarily in terms of our
fundamental moral commitment as the deepest dimension of our concrete moral activity.

HUMAN FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY

Freedom and responsibility go hand in hand. Where there is no freedom in the performance of
the act, responsibility is also wanting. If we are free, we are responsible. Freedom is necessary
for us to do good acts as well as to commit morally wrong actions called sins; otherwise, these
morally wrong acts, without freedom, are not sins but only mistakes. The same freedom will lead
us to our conversion to God and reconciliation with Him and with others. It is our ultimate
destiny to fully use our freedom and be responsible enough to either enjoy or suffer the
consequences of our actions, either good or bad.
 Inner Freedom
The term "freedom has two distinct meanings. The first one is called external freedom. It refers
to the freedom of action, the freedom to do whatever we want to do. The second one is inner
freedom. It refers to the freedom to become all we can possibly be. Although these two meanings
of freedom are closely related, we will focus our attention on the second one, which is inner
freedom.
 Freedom to be Oneself
A person's life is a quest for happiness, When a person finds fulfillment for his/her human
needs, he/she has found true happiness. Inner freedom, then, can be defined as freedom that
promotes the fulfillment of human needs, and from whatever hinders it, It follows that inner
freedom is not achieved once and for always. Rather, it is a process of growth which leads to an
ever-increasing degree of freedom until a person has reached the ultimate goal of his/her life.

 Conditions for Inner Freedom

 Inner freedom is directed towards personal growth and fulfillment. Therefore, as a person
grows in self-knowledge and understanding of his/her vocation, he/she opens the road to greater
inner freedom.
To achieve inner freedom, certain conditions must be met. Restrictions must be placed on a
person's external freedom such that he/ she can no longer do only what he/she wants to do.
Whatever an individual does must be done in pursuit of the goal he/she has set for
himself/herself, Certain activities, no matter how good they may be as Such, must be limited or
excluded. If we accept, for instance, that a student must study to attain his/her goal in life, we
understand that he/she must devote a lot of time for his/her studies. That means that he/she must
limit the time be/she spends in sports or music to have more free time for his/her studies.
In other words, inner freedom can be achieved only when we have a well-determined goal in
life, Further, we must classify, in the order of priority, the activities that lead to this goal. Then,
we commit ourselves to these priorities single-mindedly and irrespective of what others may say,
think, or do. d perseverance, self-discipline, and even sacrifice. However, the fruits of true inner
freedom make it all more than worth the effort.

 THREATS TO INNER FREEDOM

Considering the great value of inner freedom, we can say that any threat to it is a threat to
human dignity itself. Some threats to freedom come from outside man/woman. These threats
include subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, inhuman working conditions,
exploitation, and tyranny, among others.
There is another kind of threat to a person's freedom, and this comes from within the person
himself/herself. These threats are even more menacing than those that come from external forces.
Two of these threats are ignorance and passion (discussed in Unit I). Ignorance blurs an
individual's vision and makes him/her react in an impulsive or instinctive manner rather than in a
rational and responsible way. Uncontrolled passions, on the other hand, enslave man/woman.
They draw him/her irresistibly and uncontrollably to the object of that passion, which, among
others, can be power, wealth, or pleasure.

 JESUS AND FREEDOM

It was Jesus' goal in life to serve all of humanity because of God. He pursued that goal
intensely throughout His life. Not even friend or foe, ridicule or hatred, and persecution or death
could make Him waver or deviate from His goal. Jesus was truly a free man. He paid for this
with His life. But He was a happy and fulfilled man. His resurrection and ascension to the right
hand of God the Father was his reward.
We believe that Christ has freed us from slavery and dishonorable passions. Even though sin
has been radically conquered, we will still perceive the vestiges of slavery as long as we are in
the flesh. But in the power of the Spirit, we have the means of overcoming it. According to St.
Paul, we have been saved from inner slavery, fear, the corruption of the surrounding universe,
and the subjection of our body (Rom. 8:14-24). These evils are fetters on creative existence.
Christ has freed us from the yoke of the law. Though not lawless, the Christian is no longer
"under the law (Rom. 6:15)-under any law is understood as an externally constraining force.
Rather, he/she now lives "under the law of Christ (1 Cor. 9:21), which is the interior gift of the
Spirit. The law of God no longer binds from without; it acts from within, as the appeal and claim
of grace. The Christian is no longer overwhelmed by a multitude of demands which he/she
cannot cope with, but hears the voice of the Spirit urging and enabling him/her to do what in
right The person who gives himself/herself to the Spirit is truly free: "The Lord is the Spirit, and
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Cor. 3:17).
From childhood onward, man/woman must be trained and educated toward responsibility The
composition of the word responsibility already indicates its meaning, which is the ability to
respond. Among all creatures, it is only man woman who can take up responsibility. It is part of
man's/woman's dignity. The more responsible a person becomes, the more dignity he/she has.

 AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
The creation story in Genesis already indicated the different areas of a person's responsibility.
God gave the earth to man/woman to work with. Therefore, he/ she is responsible for the
material world. Likewise, God wanted man/woman to live in a community and to cooperate with
his/her fellow human beings. Therefore, he/she is also responsible for the community. He/she
must constantly build better relationships in the community and uplift the others. Lastly, man/
woman is responsible for himself/ herself. God has given him/her an intellect and free will and
calls each person to a specific task in this world. The individual is accountable for what he/she
makes of his/her life. He/she is indeed responsible
for himself/herself.
But unlike plants and animals, a person's actions are not limited to instinctual reflexes. Rather,
they are the results of decisions he/she makes. Since an individual responds to situations, he/she
also takes the credit or the blame for his/her actions. Freedom and responsibility are closely
related. Without freedom, there can be no responsibility; and where there is freedom,
responsibility follows automatically There is no absolute freedom on earth. Our responsibility,
too, is limited to the extent that our freedom is limited.
A person's dignity grows to the extent that he/she learns to master and control his her inner
impulses. This extent stretches to the point where he/she acquires self-control. An individual
should not merely react to situations and events. A mature person does not act compulsively but
acts responsibly.

 ATTITUDES TOWARD RESPONSIBILITY

 A person's attitude toward responsibility is often influenced by childhood experiences. Yet, we
all have the obligation to grow to maturity. A mature individual is one who takes his/her own
responsibility. He/She thinks for himself/herself, evaluates situations as he/she sees them, and
determines his/her own course of action. This, however, does not mean that we have to disregard
the information and advice others give. On the contrary, their knowledge and experience are very
helpful in guiding us toward making better decisions. Another aspect of responsibility is the
ability to look into the future. We must foresee the consequences of our decisions. Indeed, we are
also responsible for the foreseeable
effects of our decisions.
As Christians, therefore, we enter into a new way of living which requires the responsible use
of freedom." This freedom, St. Paul insists, should not be used as "an opportunity for self-
indulgence" (Gal. 5:13). St. Paul further talks about "the works of the flesh" as "fornication,
impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions,
factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these." In contrast, "the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control" (Gal.
5:19-23).
In most of his letters, St. Paul speaks on moral issues-some personal, others social. He dwells
on such matters in his letters to the Corinthians, perhaps because of the special problems faced
by Christians in that large city notorious for its immorality, Based on St. Paul's pronouncements,
we may state several considerations that should guide Christians in responsible decision-making.
Respect for Yourself, Most of the time, we make our decisions on the basis of a legal system.
Then we ask, "Is there a law against it?" If there is no law, presumably the conduct in question is
legitimate. Persons who believe that moral considerations are irrelevant and that any conduct is
permissible (which they based on St. Paul's words, "All things are lawful for me") are in great
danger of being reprimanded by St. Paul. St. Paul's point is that on moral issues, another
affirmation should be used: "Not all things are beneficial" (1 Cor. 6:12). Whenever we act, our
actions must bring good results which must move us toward the goal of Christian life, that is,
closer relationship to God in Christ and a deeper commitment to the will of God as that will is
known in Christ.
Respect for Fellow Christians. St. Paul's understanding of the church as the body of Christ and
as a fellowship of believers involved a sense of concern and respect for the members of that
fellowship. While he does not think Christians were responsible only for fellow Christians, he
believed that such a special relationship entails a special responsibility (1 Cor. 12:25).
Respect for the Church. St. Paul has a profound respect for the church, as indicated by his
metaphors for it: the body of Christ, the temple of God, the household of God. He stresses the
dependence of the members of the church on one another and the importance of the contribution
of each person. In a passage dealing with divisiveness within the church in Corinth, he appeals to
the Christians there to overcome their differences. He asks: "Do you not know that you are God's
temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16). Although he does not say, Surrender
your own judgment to the church, “he says, "Remember that what you do affects the temple of
God'" (1 Cor. 3:17).
Respect for Outsiders. Nowadays, a Christian's chief responsibility for other people is bringing
them the Good News. During his time, St. Paul's concern was to convert the people to
Christianity. Apart from that, St. Paul refers to non-Christians by mainly stating how Christians
should deal with their enemies and react to their expressions of hostility. The principle of non
retaliation dominates his statements. He urges the Roman Christians to "bless those who
persecute you, not to "repay anyone evil for evil," to "live peaceably with all," to forego
vengeance, and even to give food and drink to the enemy who needs them (Rom. 12:14-21).
Indeed, the responsible use of freedom safeguards one's value to oneself and to others, whether
they are part of his/her church or outsiders. Thus, this responsibility brings about self-growth and
happiness to others and oneself.

HUMAN BEINGS AS RELATIONAL

The human person, by nature, is a social being. To be a person is to be with others. Growth to
maturity can only take place within the community and depends much on the kind of
relationships a person establishes with others. Healthy relationships with others contribute much
to one's growth to maturity.
Persons are open and relational by nature. No man/woman is an island;, we grow into our full
selves as persons only in relating to others. Being a person means being by others (our
conception, birth, and upbringing), being with others (our family, friends, neighbors, and
business associates), and being for others (love and service). This is how we have been created
by God -as social beings.
But man's/woman's likeness to God is not only in his/her reason but also in his/her responsible
conduct. A person has the capacity to respond freely to the call of God. An individual can
commit or entrust himself/ herself into relationships. He/She is a relational being. He/She can be
loved and can love in return.

RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF/HERSELF

Our witness to the Triune God-Father, Son, and Spirit-is given in our basic human
relationships. Thus, this witness to God's presence among us takes the form of a triple yes": to
ourselves, to others (including our environment and society), and to God. Yes" to ourselves
means overcoming the ever-present temptation to regard ourselves as self-sufficient and
independent ("I did it my way ), and seeing instead our rootedness in God and our capacity to
enter into. Meaningful dialogue with Him as the deepest truth about ourselves. The "self-made
persons tend toward pessimism, unfreedom, even enslaving despair, while persons open to their
source in God are thereby freed from self-absorbing fears, grounded on hope and confidence in
thee Almighty, and related to the wider values of God's creation. Concretely, this means
overcoming traditional "cardinal sins of pride, envy, and sloth, while sustaining our spiritual and
bodily health through Christian self-control and modesty (MCF, 91).
The human person is a moral agent because he/she has been called to determine and decide on
what to do responsibly and dictated by his/ her conscience. Out of this subject-character of the
human person comes his/her conscious experience of freedom from where the question of
responsibility originates. The human person as a moral agent recognizes the self- obligation to
take one's responsibilities for the recognized good. The individual must develop his/her own
reality to bring his/her biological and instinctual functions within the domain of reason.

RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER HUMAN BEINGS AND NATURE

The Christians' "yes" to other people opens up their intrapersonal relationship (yes to oneself)
to the interpersonal. Against all self-centered attitudes, the Holy Scriptures constantly show there
is no way of finding God or one's true self except in and through relating to others (Mt. 25:31-46;
1 Jn. 4:20-21). Here, again, the grace-sin tension is experienced. St. Paul enumerates some of the
signs and effects under the images of flesh and spirit (Gal. 5:19-22). Instead of indifference,
jealousy, envy, possessiveness, domination, hatred, contempt, and prejudice, a "yes" to others
signifies compassion, acceptance, mercy, forgiveness, availability, service, justice, and love. It is
a "yes" to their dignity as persons, a dignity directly grounded on God's creative-redemptive
love. As stated in the Redemptor Hominis: "Man/woman is the way for the Church, a way that in
a sense is the basis of all the other ways that the Church must walk, because humans beings-
every human being without exception whatever-have been redeemed by Christ, and because in
this person -with each person without any exception whatever Christ is in a way united, even
when the person is unaware of it" (RH, # 14).
Concretely, this means living out the Commandments pertaining to our fellow human beings. It
means respect for life against all attacks, be it murder, abortion, or euthanasia. It means holding
to the Christian view of sexuality against adultery, extramarital sex, masturbation, and
homosexual behavior. It means relating to others in justice and charity in both our acts and our
speech-as Christ has taught us by word and example. Thus, Christian morality not only stresses
its Old Testament setting-the covenant and the Kingdom of God-but also creatively interprets the
contemporary application: how it can act as liberating moral norms for the Christians today.
But relationships between two or more people or between people and God are not the only
kinds of relationships that exist. Indeed, the universe reveals to us an infinite variety of
relationships in nature. The world of nature can be seen as a vast network of relationships in
which living things exist in mutual dependence on one another. Our present awareness of the
threat of environmental pollution has brought to the fore the delicate nature of the relationships
among living things, and the devastating results of man's attempt to manipulate the environment
irresponsibly.
Human beings are essentially attracted to and veer toward each other. We are social beings not
only because of our openness to one another but also because we need to live in social groups
with appropriate structures and institutions. In fact, the sense of responsibility and the moral
development of the human person are greatly influenced by his/her upbringing in an already
human environment, i.e., others take responsibility for others. The unique expressions of
solidarity with fellow human beings are manifested by the various forms of interpersonal
relationships. Some of these relationships are longstanding, others short-lived or temporary, but
the fact still remains that they provide the venue and experience of being valued not for anything
else bat tor his/her own sake. Of course, nothing can beat love as the customary identification of
these relationships. One concrete example is the marriage vows through which couples promise
one another mutual fidelity and solidarity. Not only in relationships can persons interact.
Institutions such as the government, education, and health care provide venues for human
interaction, cooperation, and solidarity Therefore, social morality ought to look into these
institutions if they promote the growth of human beings as persons and contribute to the common
good.
After God created man and woman, He entrusted to them a special mission, He says: "Be
fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, and all
living things that move on the earth. See, I give you every seed-bearing fruit on it to be your
food" (Gen. 1:28-30). God provided man and woman with everything they need. He gave them
the power to rule over all other creatures. He entrusted to them the co-creatorship of this world.
He invited them to carry out His plan of perfecting the world.
We are created not to destroy our lives and the beauty of nature, but to produce better things
from our environment. We are created to protect, respect, and preserve our lives, those of others,
and the beauty of nature. We should maintain the ecological balance in the world. We should not
destroy the trees, kill the fish with dynamite, slaughter animals for their commercial value, or
consume food voraciously without thinking about the next generation. Inasmuch as we are
created in God's image and likeness, we have the intellect that can be used creatively in
transforming and perfecting the world that is entrusted to us. It is only when we preserve,
protect, respect, transform, and and perfect the world that we may be truly called God's
responsible co-creators, the stewards of His creation.

PRINCIPLE OF STEWARDSHIP
In Unit IV, we will deal extensively with the sanctity of human life. It will be emphasized that
from a natural point of view, and as far as everybody can see, there is an intrinsic value in human
life. There is a universal sense of respect and protection for human life as the most basic and
indispensable condition for any further development of human potentials. This becomes clearer
whenever our experience is enlightened by faith and religion. Man/woman is created according
to God's image. God's beauty and perfection is somehow reflected in a person's life, in a manner
not found in any other Creature of the world. Hence, we say that humans are on top of the world:
the most perfect creatures in the universe
In this unit, however, we will discuss the duties and responsibilities of a person toward his/her
own life. Human life is a gift from God. Therefore, it is important that we accept God's existence
and understand peoples, their origin, their nature, and their destiny. These truths go beyond the
limits of the Christian religion and are valid for anyone who will accept the existence of a
Supreme Being/God--of Somebody who is higher than humans and who transcends the earthly
existence of the created universe. However, these truths have a much deeper meaning and
relevance when they are rooted in religious beliefs, experiences, and faith.
After all the things in the universe were created, God made man/woman. The Holy Scriptures
proclaim: "God said: Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let
them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild beasts, and all
the reptiles that crawl upon the earth. God created man in the image of Himself, in the image of
God He created him, male and female He created them (Gen. 1:26-27).
This text from the Holy Scriptures is most eloquent. Man/woman is created according to the
image of God, and he/she is placed on top of the universe, as master of everything that was
created. The text speaks very clearly of the dignity of man/woman and of his/her superiority over
all creatures. First, we see how man/woman is the subject of a special creation. Though all
creatures reveal and manifest God's glory and goodness, man/woman is a special reflection of the
beauty and the perfection of God. As God's image, man/woman can think, will, and understand.
But at the same time, it is also directly stated that man/woman is God's creature; that what he/she
is and what he/she has, he/she owes to God. The human person is not totally independent he/she
does not exist for and by himself/herself God is his/her Master, his/her Creator; to Him
man/woman owes his/her existence, his/her life, his/her powers.
Human beings are given a certain dominion over all creatures. The Holy Scriptures declare:
"You have made man/woman lord over the work of Your hands, set all things under their feet"
(Ps. 8:6). God says: "Be fruitful, multiply; fill the earth and conquer it (Gen. 1:28). It can rightly
be said that all things were created in the service and use of human beings. They are
subordinated to the needs of humans. But humans are accountable for what they have received.
God says: "I will demand an account of every beast and from humans. It is God's prerogative.
Everything comes from Him and everything has to go back to Him according to His plans and
designs.
These reflections provide the ground for establishing the hierarchy and order among the things
existing in the world including human beings and the kind of relationship they have among
themselves and in regard to God.

 A USEFUL DOMINION
"Be masters of all things; fill the earth and conquer it" (Gen. 1:28), God says there is an order or
hierarchy in the things of the world. Some are more perfect than others. None, however, Teaches
the perfection of humans. God exhorts them to "be the master of all things, fill the earth and
conquer it." God placed all things under man's/woman's dominion; all these things are meant for
their use and service not to do with these things as they please, however, but to use these things
reasonably and responsibly to satisfy their needs. Required from man woman are the useful
dominion of all things, and/or a reasonable and responsible use of these things. It might be
necessary at times to sacrifice some of these creatures when used by man/woman to satisfy their
needs. The use of plants, fish, birds, and animals in general, as long as it is reasonable and
responsible, will be according to God's plans
 ACCOUNTABLE STEWARDSHIP OVER A PERSON'S LIFE
Humans, however, do not have the same dominion over themselves, their bodies, and their
integrity. Their lives-all that they are gifts from God. They are accountable to God for what they
are and for what they make of themselves. If humans do not have absolute power to do as they
please over the things that have been placed at their command, their power and dominion over
themselves is much more limited and filled with more responsibilities. Included in the divine
plans is the mission of man/woman to realize himself/herself, to develop his/her talents and
potentialities to the fullest, and to reach the perfection he/she is called to attain. Every individual
must remain faithful to God's call. A person realizes himself/herself throughout his/her earthly
existence. Human life, then, becomes a most basic and fundamental requirement for persons to
carry our their mission. If humans cease to exist or put an end to their life, human realization is
no longer possible, and thus God's plans have been thwarted. Humans have refused to follow
God's plans for them. They have revolted against God's designs. They have abused the power
they have over themselves. Hence, the intrinsic objective immorality of any attempt against one's
own life is the usurpation of power.
Humans are responsible for their actions. They are given the power to understand things and
love others. Their responsibility includes their capacity to take care not only of their environment
that is, all of God's creation and their fellow human beings-but also, first and foremost, of
themselves. Given this premise that they should take care of themselves first, then others,
humans become responsible as stewards of all things. It is their obligation to assume the
responsibility of this stewardship which is given by God-to them alone. They are accountable
stewards over their lives and that of others.
This understanding of the accountable stewardship that humans have over their life and their
powers-valid as it is for any instance in their lives-has a significant part in the various conflict-
ridden situations encountered in the practice of medicine. These situations include those that deal
with the beginning of human life, or when human life is threatened or substantially affected (as
in the cases of abortion, fetal research, and genetic manipulation), or in instances of terminal
illness or death (as in the case of euthanasia). The morality of these actions will be clearly
understood if one accepts this most basic principle of accountable stewardship. Humans are
neither their own masters nor do they have an absolute dominion over themselves, All they have,
they have received from God; they are accountable to God for what they are and what they make
of themselves.

RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

The dimensions of human existence-the intrapersonal and the interpersonal-are so closely
linked in a mutual relationship that it is impossible to sustain the affirmation of one wile
neglecting the other. Only an integral approach can ultimately safeguard the authenticity of the
Christian affirmation. It is in saying yes to the totality of human life that we say yes to God and
show we are disciples of Jesus. Thus, we fulfill the first three of the Ten Commandments-our
worship and thanksgiving to Almighty God. The doctrine of the Resurrection brings out the
special significance of the Lords Day and of our Sunday worship of the Father, through Christ
our Lord, in Their Holy Spirit-against all worship of false gods (money, fame, and power; cf. Mt.
4:l f.) and superstitions. Particularly, the superstitious practices which absolutize something finite
and give it saving power in itself make a mockery of our "yes" to Almighty God-a yes" that
should unite and crown the other "yeses" just as we see in Christ's own life As the Holy Bible
says: "For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we preached among you was not Yes and No; but
in Him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in Him. That is why we utter
the Amen through Him, to the glory of God" (2 Cor. 1:19-20).
Human beings are fundamentally open to God, and it is the task of Christian morality to
explain how, according to the Christian revelation, our relationship with God affects us in all
dimensions of our persons. The commitment to God and the openness to the transcendent are
essential characteristics of being human. There is a universal search for meaning as well as the
contrastive experience-the lack of meaning.
In His divine plan, God has created us to share with Him the endless happiness which our
hearts naturally desire:
“God has placed it [happiness] in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who
alone can fulfill it. We all want to live happily: in the whole human race there is no one who
does not assent to this proposition, even before it is fully articulated."
"How is it, then, that I seek you, Lord? Since in seeking you, my God, I seek a happy life, let me
seek you so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from my soul and my soul draws life
from you,"
“God alone satisfies.”
HUMAN PERSONS AS REDEEMED IN CHRIST
For us Christians, the answer to the question "Who am I" can only be grounded on Jesus
Christ Himself:
"In Christ and through Christ, we have acquired full awareness of our dignity, of the heights to
which we are raised, of the surpassing worth of our own humanity, and of the meaning of our
existence" (RH, 11).
“For by His incarnation, the Son of God has united Himself in some fashion with every person
(GS, 22).
Christ reveals how the essential dignity of all persons is grounded directly on their origin,
meaning, and destiny. We believe all persons are created by God in His image and likeness (cf.
Gen. 1:26) through our Lord Jesus Christ "through whom everything was made and through
whom we live" (1 Cor. 8:6). We believe all are redeemed by the blood of Christ (cf. Eph. 1:7;
Col 1:14), and are sanctified by the indwelling Holy Spirit (cf. Rom. 8:14-16; 1 Cor. 6:19). We
believe all persons are called to be children of God (cf 1 In. 3:1) destined for eternal life of
blessed communion with the Father, his Risen-Incarnate Son, and their Holy Spirit (cf. CFC,
#685).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains: "By His Passion, Christ delivered us from
Satan and from sin. He merited for us the new life of the Holy Spirit. His grace restores what sin
had damaged in us" (cf. CCC, #1708). Therefore, a person who believes in Christ becomes a
child of God. This filial adoption transforms a person by giving him/ her the ability to follow the
example of Christ. It makes a person capable of acting rightly and doing good. In union with our
Savior, we, His disciples, attain the perfection of charity which is holiness. Having matured in
grace, the moral life blossoms into eternal life in the glory of heaven.
"Jesus," the Vatican II instructs us, "fully reveals man/woman to Himself" (GS, 22). Jesus does
so because He is the center of human history, the one who holds primacy of place in God's
loving plan for human beings and, indeed, for the whole created universe. This is clearly the
central message of the New Testament, eloquently summarized by St. Paul in his words to the
Colossians:
"He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things
were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible... All things were created through him
and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the
body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be
preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile
to himself all things, whether on earth or, in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross. And
you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his
body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before
him" (Col. 1:15-22).
That Jesus is the foundation of the Christian moral life is central to the teaching of Pope John
Paul II in his encyclical Veritatis Splendor. In the introduction to the encyclical, the Holy Father
calls attention to the aforementioned passage from Vatican, emphasizing the truth that "it is only
in the mystery of the Word Incarnate that lights shed on the mystery of man. It is Christ, the last
Adam, who fully discloses man to himself and unfolds his noble calling by revealing the mystery
of the Father and the Father’s love (#2). Jesus, in. His very person, "fulfills" the law and brings it
to perfection and by doing so, reveals to man his noble calling. Thus, the moral life ultimately
means following Christ. According to Pope John Paul II, we follow Christ not by any outward
imitation but by "becoming conformed to Him who became a servant even to giving Himself on
the Cross (cf. Phil, 2:5-8) (#21). Following Christ means "holding fast to the very person of
Jesus" (#19). Indeed, as Pope John Paul I emphasizes: The Crucified Christ reveals the authentic
meaning of human freedom; he lives it fully in the total gift of himself and calls his disciples to
share in his freedom" (#85).
St. Paul teaches us that "Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who
have fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the
dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life
in Christ" (1 Cor. 15:20-22). Again, as man, Jesus is the first-born of all creation (Col. 1:15), and
is completed by creation united under Him: God has let us know the mystery of His purpose, the
hidden plan He so kindly made in Christ from the beginning to act upon when the times had run
their course to the end, that He would bring everything together under Christ as head, everything
in the heavens and everything under earth" (Eph. 1:9-10; cf. Eph. 1:22-23).
As God, Jesus unites those who are His own to the Father: "The glory which you have given
me I have given to them, that they may be one as we are one, I in them, and you in me, that they
may become perfectly one" (In. 17:22-23). Insofar as He is God, Jesus mediates to us a share in
His divinity "from the fullness we have all received" (In. 1:16). Indeed, in Jesus, we have
become "partakers of the divine nature (2 Pt. 1:4). Because His human life, death, and
resurrection were the life, death, and resurrection of God's only begotten Son, those who are
united to Him are in truth "begotten anew. They now become "children of God," members of the
divine family: "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God;
and so we are. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God" (1 Jn. 3:1; 5:1).
Through baptism, we are truly united to Christ, dead to sin (i.e., no longer under its sway, or
impotent before it), and risen to a new kind of life, the life proper to God's own children. St.
Thomas Aquinas puts the matter this way: Through baptism, a person is reborn to a spiritual life,
one proper to Christ's faithful, as the Apostle says [Gal. 2:201, the life I now live in the flesh I
live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me]."
Jesus is truly the foundation of Christian moral life, for the life we are now empowered to live
is in reality a divine life as well as a human life. Just as Jesus has fully shared our humanity and
our human life, we, by being engrafted onto the "vine" which is Christ (cf In. 15:1-11), also
share His divinity. In Him we are divinized, and our life in union with God begins here and now,
to be brought to fulfillment in the heavenly kingdom: with death conquered, the children of God
will be raised in Christ and what was sown in weakness and dishonor will put on the
imperishable (cf. 1 Cor. 15:42, 53) charity and its works will remain (cf. 1 Cor. 13:8, 3:14), and
all of creation (cf. Rom 8:19-21), which God made for man, will be set free from its bondage to
decay" (GS, 39) Although our life in union with Jesus--and in, with, and through him, with the
Father and the Holy Spirit-will reach its fulfillment only on the day of the resurrection, it is
absolutely essential to realize that this divine life is already, here and now, present within us. We
are now God's children; the divine nature has been communicated to us. While always remaining
human, we really share in Christ's divinity. We are "other Christs" (Alter Christus), truly His
brothers and sisters and in, with, and through him. God’s very children. The Catechism of the
Catholic Church asserts: "It is in Christ, the Redeemer and Savior, that the divine image,
disfigured in man by the first sin, has been restored to its original beauty and ennobled by the
grace of God" (cf. CCC, #1701).

FILIPINO CONCECPT OF A HUMAN PERSON

“Madaling maging tao, mahirap magpakatao." The journey toward Christian maturity and
commitment starts with the awareness of who we are (tao) and of what we ought to be
(magpakatao). It is an awareness that is rooted in our being pilgrims in the here and now. It is a
pilgrimage that is anchored on our calling to follow the "Way, the Truth, and the Life- Jesus
Himself. We, Filipinos, are followers of Christ, His disciples. To trace His footsteps in our times
means to utter His words to others, to love with His love, to live with His life...To cease
following Him is to betray our very identity.29
The Catechism for Filipino Catholics (CFC) eloquently describes who we are and what we
ought to be as Filipino Christians. We, Catholic Filipinos, constituting more than 82% of our
population, are rightly proud of our Christian faith. We are especially fond of religious
processions, novenas, and numerous devotions to Christ our Savior, to Mary, and the other
Saints, Our churches are crowded on Sundays and special fiestas. Moreover, recent religious
movements in our country such as the Cursillo, the Charismatic renewal, the Focolare, the
Couples for Christ (Singles for Christ), El Shaddai, and the like have shown a widespread
yearning for closer union with Christ. A great number of Filipinos are seeking ways to draw
closer to Christ our Lord.
Yet, there seems to be serious gap between external ritual expressions of Christian faith with
daily words and actions and authentic discipleship of following Christ in action. Our piety fails
to produce acts of loving service, forgiveness, and sacrifice. Many of our pious Church members
who are graduates of our best Catholic schools continue to act as abusive landlords, usurers,
oppressive employers, unreliable employees, and turn out to be corrupt government officials,
unfaithful husbands and wives, or cheating businessmen.
Genuine Christian piety inspires true Christian witness and service. The challenge to become
authentic witness demands two things: a) interiorly, that Filipino Catholics break through
external ritualism and social conformity to interiorize their devotional prayer and sacramental
worship deeply into themselves (kalooban); and b) exteriorly, to commit themselves to Jesus
Christ and to all He stands for, in daily practice of the faith according to Catholic moral
principles and the guidance of the Church.32
 Our Christian moral life is simply to respond to the call to become loving persons, in the
fullness of life-with-others-in-community before God, in imitation of Jesus Christ. All human
rights, personal and social, all moral duties and responsibilities, all virtues and moral character
are anchored in our being disciples of Jesus Christ in the Church.
The sense of our dignity as human person has been impressed itself more and more on the
consciousness of contemporary man. The inviolable dignity of every human person is the most
precious possession of an individual whose value comes not from what a person has as much as
from what he/she is Hence, the pivotal point of our total presentation will be the human person,
whole and entire, body and soul, heart and conscience, mind and will," But just who or what IS
the human person according to reason and Christian faith?
Each one is a person in Christ. "In Christ and through Christ, we have acquired full awareness
of our dignity, of the heights to which we are raised, of the surpassing worth of our own
humanity, and of the meaning of our existence.7 "For by His incarnation, the Son of God has
united Himself in some fashion with every person."
Christ reveals how the essential dignity of all persons is grounded directly on their origin,
meaning, and destiny. We believe all persons are created by God in His image and likeness (Gen.
1:26) through our Lord Jesus Christ, "through whom everything was made and through whom
we live" (cf1 Cor. 8:6). We believe all persons are called to be children of God (cf 1 Jn. 3:1),
destined for eternal life of blessed communion with the Father, His Risen-Incarnate Son, and
their Holy Spirit (CCC #1692). However, we have to relate these Christian truths to the common
experience of "being a Filipino person" and not take these for granted. We need to become more
conscious of them to gain true knowledge of self and our relationships to others and to God.
Persons are open and relational by nature. We Filipinos are outstanding in this regard. It is said
Filipinos are never alone." This is how we have been created by God- as social beings. This is
how we have been redeemed by Christ-as people. This is how the Holy Spirit works not only
within but among us as the people of God, journeying toward our common destiny in God.
Persons are conscious beings, aware of themselves in their outgoing acts. We possess this self-
awareness through our knowing and free willing Thus, we image" in our small way the Creator's
infinite knowing and loving. Persons are embodied spirits. This stresses the unity between our
"body and soul. Our bodies are not merely instrument we "use" according to our whims.
Christian faith regards the body as "good and honorable since God has created it and will raise it
up on the last day." God the Son dignified the body through His Incarnation-"The Word became
flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn. 1:14). And St. Paul admonishes us: "You must know that your
body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is within-the Spirit you have received from God,.. So,
glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:19-20). All our relationships with others and with God are
expressed through our bodies, which are the natural sacrament of our spiritual depth.
Persons are historical realities. We are pilgrims on-the-way, who, gradually through time,
become our full selves. In exercising our freedom, we decide for ourselves and form ourselves;
in this sense we are our own cause. We develop as persons in discernible stages, described in
great detail in 'modern psychology. Salvation history narrated in the Bible shows the dynamic
interplay between good and evil, success and failure, within the lives of the great biblical figures.
It recounts how God progressively brought His chosen people to a clearer understanding, and
higher moral vision, of their own being and of God Himself.
Persons are unique, yet fundamentally equal. Despite physical differences as well as differing
intellectual and moral powers, we instinctively realize that as persons, in some basic way, we are
all equal. "All men are endowed with the rational soul and are created in God's image; they have
the divine calling and destiny; there is here a basic quality between all men."9 Yet, each of us is
called to "image" God in a unique way-no one can "take our place," as it were. To each of us
Christ says: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine" (Is.
43:1). Thus, within the fundamental equality of all persons, we recognize the unique identity of
each person."
This fundamental equality of all individual persons also grounds the participation and
solidarity of all peoples. Since God the Father is the origin and purpose of all people, we are
called to be brothers and sisters. Therefore, if we have been summoned by the same destiny,
which is both human and divine, we can and should work together to build up the world in
genuine peace."
Additional discussion on our Filipino characteristics will help us understand our own cultural
perception of our identity as Filipino Catholics as we believe that we are all "created in the image
and likeness of God" (Gen. 1:26). There are five predominant Filipino characteristics, together
with five essential traits of Jesus Christ, both assumed within the typical "Filipino way" to Jesus.
First, we Filipinos are family-oriented. The child-parent (anak-magulang) relationship is of
primary importance to us Filipinos. Father, mother, and child (ama, ina, and anak) are culturally
and emotionally significant to us Filipinos who cherish our filial attachment not only to our
immediate family, but also to our extended family like the godparents (ninongs, ninangs, etc.).
This family-centeredness supplies a basic sense of belonging, stability and security. It is from our
families that we Filipinos naturally draw our sense of self-identity.
Second, we Filipinos are meal-oriented (salu-salo, kainan). Because Filipino consider almost
everyone as part of the family (parang pamilya), we are known for being gracious hosts and
grateful guests. Serving our guests with the best we have is an inborn value to Filipinos, rich and
poor alike. We love to celebrate any and all events with a special meal. Even with unexpected
guests, we try our best to offer something, meager as it may be, with the traditional greeting:
"Come and eat with us." (Tuloy po kayo at kumain muna tayo).
Jesus as Eucharist is not only the host of the new Paschal Meal (1 Cor. 11:23-26), and the food,
the bread of life (In. 6:48-58), but even the guest in every gathering (Mt 18:20). The New
Testament refers more than twenty-five times to eating (kainan). Eating together in table
fellowship with the presence of risen Christ (1 Cor. 10:17), “Communion”, in other words,
constitutes the core-witness of the early Church as a Eucharistic community, so we Filipinos feel
naturally "at home" in breaking bread together with Jesus. PCP II's "spirituality of social
transformation finds in the Eucharist not only its full nourishment but also its total prayerful
communion with the Lord of salvation and liberation."
 Third, we Filipinos are kundiman-oriented. The kundiman is a sad Filipino song about wounded
love. Filipinos are naturally attracted to heroes sacrificing everything for love. We are patient
and forgiving to a fault ("magpapaka-alipin ako rang dahil sa iyo"). This acceptance of suffering
manifests a deep, positive spiritual value of Filipinos kalooban
Jesus, the Suffering Servant of the prophet Isaiah, is portrayed through our favorite Filipino
images of Padre Hesus Nazareno, the Santo Entierro or the Sacred Heart. Through these images,
Jesus appears as one of "the least of our brethren": the hungry and thirsty, the naked, the sick, the
lonely stranger and the prisoner (Mt. 25:31-46). Jesus, the Suffering Servant can thus reach out
to us Filipinos as a healing and forgiving Savior who understands our weaknesses, our failures,
our feelings of depression, fear and loneliness. He has been through it all Himself.
Fourth, we Filipinos are bayani-oriented. A bayani is a hero. We Filipinos are natural hero-
followers. For all our patience and tolerance, we do not accept ultimate failure and defeat. We
tend instinctively to always personalize any good cause in terms of a leader, especially when its
object to defend the weak and the oppressed. To protect this innate sense of human dignity,
Filipinos are prepared to lay down even their lives.
Jesus as Christ the King (Cristo Rey) responds well to the bayani-oriented Filipino. As born
social critics, organizers and martyrs, we Filipinos see Jesus Christ as the Conqueror of the world
by His mission as prophet, king. and priest (PCPII 57-61). So as bayani-oriented, we Filipinos
have enthroned our image of Cristo Rey. He assures us that everything will be all right in the
end. Christ the King has won the ultimate victory over evil.
Fifth, we Filipinos are spirit-oriented. We are often said to be naturally psychic. We have a
deep-seated belief in the supernatural and in all kinds of spirits dwelling in individual persons,
places, and things. Even in today's world of science and technology. Filipinos continue to invoke
the spirits in various undertakings, especially in faith- healing sessions and exorcisms.
Accepting Jesus Christ as responding to these essential Filipino traits has historically come
about and continued in a typical "Filipino" manner. The outstanding characteristic of the Church
in the Philippines is to be a "pueblo amante de Maria"-a people in love with Mary. Even before
the coming of the Spanish missionaries, there was a small dark image of the Blessed Virgin,
known only as coming from the sea, venerated on the shores of Manila Bay, thus originated the
devotion to Nuestra Señora de Guia, Our Lady, Guide of the Way, the oldest extant image of
Mary in the Philippines.
The typical "Filipino approach to Christ is with and through Mary. Devotion to Mary has
always been intimately intertwined with Christ. The two central mysteries of our Faith in Christ:
the mystery of the Incarnation celebrated at Christmas, and the mystery of the Redemption
celebrated during Holy Week, are deeply marked by the veneration of Mary. This is portrayed
graphically in the Simbang Gabi (Misa de Gallo or Misa de Aguinaldo) and the Panunuluyan at
Christmas time, and the Salubong on Easter Sunday morning.
Marian devotion and piety seem co-natural to us Filipinos. Mary is deeply involved in each of
the five Filipino characteristics leading us to Christ. The "family altar" in so many Filipino
homes witnesses to Mary as mother of Jesus and our spiritual mother. Thus, she is all the center
of our family-orientedness. As celebration and meal oriented, Mary's month of May is noted for
the fiestas in her honor and pilgrimages to her shrines. For suffering in life, Mary is venerated as
the Mater Dolorosa, the Sorrowful Mother, whose "perpetual help" compassion, and love are
sought through popular novenas and devotions.
What is, then, the Filipino concept of human person? Who, then, are Filipino Catholics? We are
a people who have experienced in one way or another that our Filipino identity, meaning,
suffering, commitment, and world-view are all tied to Jesus Christ. 1ike a diamond with a
thousand facets, Christ is able to reveal to every person and nation, their very own unity, truth,
and value. Thus, we Pilipino Catholics are created by God, redeemed in Christ, sanctified by the
Spirit, and destined for eternal life with God. As persons, we experience ourselves as embodied
spirits, conscious of our historical process of growing up and developing, in constant relation
with others with whom we are fundamentally equal, yet unique in ourselves. We are baptized
into discipleship of Jesus Christ; we discover our identity as adopted children of our Father and
as members of Christ's Body, the Church; we are inspired by Mary our Mother. In the breaking
of bread around the table of the Lord, we find meaning in sharing ecclesial fellowship with one
another and with Christ, our Priest and Eucharist: and in meeting the Crucified Savior, we are
sustained in the sufferings and hardships of life, and we receive forgiveness for our sins through
His Sacraments, We commit ourselves to our Risen Lord and His mission through the gift of
Faith, celebrated in great Hope in the Sacraments, and lived out in Love and service of their
fellowmen. From our world-vision led by the Spirit of the Risen Christ, experienced in the
Christian community, the Church, which sustains us in our pilgrimage of life-in-Christ, we
approach and live out this Christian life within the powerful inspiring presence of Mary, our
Mother and Model."

THE HUMAN PERSON AND HUMAN ACTS

Christian moral life is simply the call to become loving persons, in the fullness of like-with-
others-in-community before God, in imitation of Jesus Christ. The key to moral life is the human
person, considered in the light of both reason and faith. Human rights (personal and social),
moral duties and responsibilities, virtues and moral character--all these depend entirely on the
answer we give to this question: Who am as a person in the community, as a disciple of Jesus
Christ, and as a member of His Church?
All aspects of the human person and al his/her actions are under the scrutiny of Christian
morality. The human person, with his/her intellect and free will, is the moral agent, the
supporting actor (Christ being the lead actor) of the dramatic scene of God’s loving history of
salvific acts.
Let us investigate the concept and nature of man's actions, both the so-called human acts and acts
of man.
CONCEPT AND NAME OF HUMAN ACTS
Human acts (actus humanus) are actions that proceed from insight into the nature and purpose
of one's doing and from the consent of free will. A human act is any thought, word, deed, desire,
or omission which comes from a person acting with full knowledge of what he/she is doing, who
is free to act or to refrain from action, and who gives full assent to his/her will to act. Acts of
thinking, loving, reading books, studying, praying, and reciting in class are examples of human
acts. Other acts performed by a person without full knowledge, freedom, and choice are simply
called acts of man.
Acts of man (actus hominis) are performed without intervention of intellect and free will.
They comprise all spontaneous biological and sensual processes, like nutrition, breathing,
sensual impressions; all acts performed without the use of reason by people such as lunatics, the
drunk, and those who are asleep. These are spontaneous reactions which precede the activity of
the intellect and will, like first reactions of anger and sympathy. Likewise, distinguished from
human acts are forced acts which, though affected with some insight and cooperation of the
intellect, are carried out against one's personal decision and will9 Acts of man, therefore, are
undeliberate, involuntary, not free, not under one's control, and beyond the mind and the will.

CONSTITUENT PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ACTS

 Knowledge
The will can decide for something and seek it only if it is first known. Thus, the essential
conditions for a human act include knowledge of the aspired object, attention to the action with
which the object is to be pursued, and judgments on the value of the act. A person cannot will
without knowing what object he/she is concerned with, without having mastered the object.
Therefore, conscious of the act, he/she performs in order to realize the aim, without evaluating
the action in its concrete nature as a desirable good or undesirable evil. Such appraisal also
includes the judgment on the moral value of the act.
 Freedom
If a person, for some reason, is not free to choose what he/she likes according to his/her insight
and will and has to act against his/her will, his/her action is not free and consequently not a
human act. Hence, as a second essential condition for a human act, consent of the free will is
required, which implies freedom from any external or internal compulsion.
  Voluntariness
Note that anything that is an object of the will is called "willed" (volitum). But not everything
that is willed is necessarily an effect of the will. The setting of a house on fire which is not
caused but desired by someone is something willed, but it is not the effect of the will. When what
is willed is both the object and the effect of the will, we call it voluntary (voluntarium). The
burning of a house which a person wills and causes is voluntary. In short, the voluntariness of the
human act is determined by the will of the agent. Sometimes, this is also known as the intention
of the agent.

SUMMARY
The dignity of the human person is rooted in his/her nature as "created in the image and
likeness of God" A person is a free creature with intellect (the capacity to know the truth in life
and the world) and free will (the capacity to choose what is good and right for him/her in
accordance to what God has intended him/her to be).
We humans are essentially good, and this goodness in us has to be shared with others. We need
to relate first and foremost with ourselves then with other human beings and even with nature,
that is, with other created beings. Finally, we need to relate with the Transcendental Being from
whom we owe our existence and being -God.
By the grace of God, we have been redeemed through the death and resurrection of Christ.
Therefore, all our actions must be geared towards the attainment of that glory where we are
united with Christ-our personal savior and brother-with God as our Abba, our Father.
__________________________________________________________________________

ACTIVITY 2:
 We will be posted in the Google Class.
 Answers must be submitted through the same platform only.
 Students are advised to be mindful of the set deadline submission.