Dignity – Thoughts and Resources
A short story: Some time ago, when walking our dog Holly along a Colorado road that didn’t have a sidewalk, a car came and made a rather hasty and speedy Uturn right in front of us. The car was very close and spewing gravel and rocks. I looked at a passenger — a Hispanic riding in the car and I must have given him quite the look of displeasure. He raised up, glaring at me as if his dignity had been insulted. In a movie version of this event – he might have pulled out a weapon to ‘teach me a lesson’ about respect for him. His ‘dignity’ was insulted by my scowl — my dignity (and safety) didn’t matter.
Differing countries have cultural and historical aspects of dignity: bowing, giving small gifts, not using a first name in a business setting, etc.
The source of human dignity is rooted in the concept of Imago Dei. We are brought into existence and created in God’s image. By Christ’s redemption, our ultimate destiny is eternal union with God. Human dignity is not something granted by society or governments. Dignity transcends any social order.
What began as a thought for this podcast as a topic centered around husbands and wives and teens and their bodies became a show that opened my eyes to mention other aspects of dignity. Take a look at the Church’s reaching areas on this Catholic Vitamin:
Dignity as found in the Catechism…
affronts to personal, 1487, 2261, 2275, 2295, 2297, 2324, 2353-55, 2377, 2414, 2418, 2424, 2436 (see also Respect)
all members of the family are persons equal in, 2203
of conjugal love, 1632
contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer, 2418
equal personal dignity of man and woman, 369, 2334
equal personal dignity of spouses, 1645
equality of dignity of God’s children, 872, 1468, 1692, 1698, 1934
of the human body as God’s image, 364, 1004
of the human person, 1700-876
of love raised to dignity of a sacrament, 1601, 1603, 1638, 1660
of man created by God, 306, 308
of the People of God, 782, 786
of priests, 1587, 1595
profit and, 2424
reasons for and signs of, 27, 356-57, 1700, 1706, 1730, 1956, 2524
respect for and defense of, 1929, 2158, 2235, 2238, 2267, 2279, 2284-301, 2304, 2402, 2407, 2479, 2494, 2521, 2526
scandal and respect for the dignity of others, 2284-301 (see also Scandal)
unemployment as an insult to, 2436
To Honor the Dignity In Priests
Prayer For Priests
O Jesus, Eternal High Priest, live in (name a priest), act in him, speak in and through him. Think your thoughts in his mind, love through his heart. Give him your own dispositions and feelings.
Teach, lead and guide him always. Correct, enlighten and expand his thoughts and behavior. Possess his soul; take over his entire personality and life. Replace him with yourself. Incline him to constant adoration and thanksgiving; pray in and through him. Let him live in you and keep him in this intimate union always.
O Mary, Immaculate Conception, Mother of Jesus and Mother of priests, pray and intercede for (name…). Amen
Links and Contacts For Our Guest, Ron Garcia.
Here is a link to Ron’s blog: www.stlyouth.org
Link to Ron and His Office at the Archdiocese of St. Louis
http://stlyouth.org/blogs/rongarcia
This is a link to Ron’s blog that he writes for young adults
http://www.spiritandtruthstl.org/blogs/rongarcia
And his email address if someone is interested in a speaking engagement is rongarcia70@hotmail.com
Our closing song was ETERNALLY GRATEFUL, sung by Jody Gnant from her album Pivot; played with kind permission of this talented composer and singer. Let’s pray for Jody to find our Catholic Faith and to really know what it means to be ETERNALLY GRATEFUL.