The professor discussed the importance of understanding the human person as an end within itself, not a means to an end. The human person has this dignity because of the unity of soul and body that is the person. This unity is part of our being made in God's image. Our ability to reason is rooted in this, and our dignity is rooted in our ability to reason. In this discussion, he mentioned the passage from Genesis in which God says:
"It is not good that the man should be alone. I shall make for him a suitable partner."
God proceeds to make the many creatures that dwell on the earth, and He brings all of them to Adam to receive their names from Him. This shows the character and dignity of man above creatures: that Adam gives the creatures their names shows that the creatures have been made differently than Adam, that they are subordinate to him; not in the sense that he may do anything he pleases to them, but that he is their steward, and that he is made in God's image: having authority over created matter that has not been made in the image and the likeness of God. Of course, God is present in all of His creation in a special way: all of creation proclaims His glory simply by being what it is, and His beauty is reflected in the organization and wonder of creation.
The passage from Genesis goes on to say that Adam (and God) found no suitable partner for Adam among the creatures.
When my professor mentioned this, I suddenly had a new understanding of the meaning behind this passage. Adam found no suitable partner among the creatures. So, I wondered, then why would God bring all of them before Adam? Then it hit me. God's intention was to show man that none of these created beasts were the suitable partner for him to cherish, love, and give himself to. God proceeded to create the first woman, Eve, from Adam's rib. Adam sees her for the first time, and what does he say? "This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." He recognizes her as the suitable partner for him, the one that God intended for Adam to be united with in love and to wed, giving himself to her, and receiving her gift of self to him. Eve, too, is above all the other creatures because God has made her in His image and likeness, as He made Adam: with a body and a soul, with the ability to reason, with dignity. She, too, exists, not as a means, but as an end: an end in herself. She is not something to be used; nor is Adam. Both are persons to be pursued, loved, and cared for. They are made for each other. God did not make the animals for Adam's partner, nor did he make another man. He made a woman, one who would complement him, love him, learn from him, teach him, and more.
I've seen this quote a number of times on Facebook, and someone shared it in my English class once, too. I really like it, as it illustrates very well the proper attitude that should exist between husband and wife:
“Woman was created from the rib of man to be beside him, not from his head to rule over him, nor from his feet to be trampled by him, but from under his arm to be protected by him, and near to his heart to be loved by him.”
(The quote is credited to David O. McKay. I made a few edits, though, to the one I found online so that it was more like what I had originally heard.)
To read more about the mystery of man and woman and how they have been created for each other, you can read Blessed Pope John Paul II's "Theology of the Body," or reflections and commentaries therein.
God bless! and thanks for reading.
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