Thomas Aquinas Quotes

All that is true, by whomsoever it has been said has its origin in the Spirit.

Evil denotes the lack of good. Not every absence of good is an evil, for absence may be taken either in a purely negative or in aprivative sense. Mere negation does not display the character of evil, otherwise nonexistents would be evil and moreover, a thing would be evil for not possessing the goodness of something else, which would mean that man is bad for not having the strength of a lion or the speed of a wild goat. But what is evil is privation; in this sense blindness means the privation of sight.

When fear is excessive it can make many a man despair.

It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes.

It is not possible to be ignorant of the end of things if we know their beginning.

It is a sin directly against one's neighbour, since one man cannot over-abound in external riches, without another man lacking them.

All the efforts of the human mind cannot exhaust the essence of a single fly.

Justice is a certain rectitude of mind whereby a man does what he ought to do in the circumstances confronting him.

A song is the exultation of the mind dwelling on eternal things, bursting forth in the voice.

All my words are but chaff next to the faith of a simple man.

Practical sciences proceed by building up; theoretical science by resolving into components.

To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.

Human salvation demands the divine disclosure of truths surpassing reason.

A man should remind himself that an object of faith is not scientifically demonstrable, lest presuming to demonstrate what is of faith, he should produce inconclusive reasons and offer occasion for unbelievers to scoff at a faith based on such ground.

In a false person, sacraments do not produce any effect.

The same fire" (which he decides to be material) " torments the damned in hell and the just in purgatory...The least pain in purgatory exceeds the greatest in this life.

God is never angry for His sake, only for ours.

There must be must be a first mover existing above all – and this we call God.

Characteristics which define beauty are wholeness, harmony and radiance.

Secondly, man sins against nature when he goes against his generic nature, that is to say, his animal nature. Now, it is evident that, in accord with natural order, the union of the sexes among animals is ordered towards conception. From this it follows that every sexual intercourse that cannot lead to conception is opposed to man's animal nature.

Rarely affirm, seldom deny, always distinguish.

For although the will cannot be inwardly moved by any creature, yet it can be moved inwardly by God.

The magnitude of the punishment matches the magnitude of the sin. Now a sin that is against God is infinite; the higher the person against whom it is committed, the graver the sin-it is more criminal to strike a head of state than a private citizen-and God is of infinite greatness. Therefore an infinite punishment is deserved for a sin committed against Him.

I answer that, Even, as in the blessed in heaven there will be most perfect charity, so in the damned there will be the most perfect hate.

To teach in order to lead others to faith is the task of every preacher and of each believer.

It is necessary for the perfection of human society that there should be men who devote their lives to contemplation.

Most men seem to live according to sense rather than reason.

Mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution; justice without mercy is cruelty.

The servants of God...whether provoked by word or work, by keeping themselves tranquil and peaceful, evince a perfect nobleness of soul.

Man should not consider his material possession his own, but as common to all, so as to share them without hesitation when others are in need.

A person is disposed to an act of choice by an angel ... in two ways. Sometimes, a man's understanding is enlightened by an angel to know what is good, but it is not instructed as to the reason why ... But sometimes he is instructed by angelic illumination, both that this act is good and as to the reason why it is good.

True peace consists in not separating ourselves from the will of God.

Grace does not destroy nature, it perfects it.

Pain itself can be pleasurable accidentally in so far as it is accompanied by wonder, as in stage-plays; or in so far as it recalls a beloved object to one's memory, and makes one feel one's love for the thing, whose absence gives us pain. Consequently, since love is pleasant, both pain and whatever else results from love, in so far as they remind us of our love, are pleasant.

Law; an ordinance of reason for the common good, made by him who has care of the community.

For it is necessary in every practical science to proceed in a composite (i.e. deductive) manner. On the contrary in speculative science, it is necessary to proceed in an analytical manner by breaking down the complex into elementary principles.

If all the sins of the flesh are worthy of condemnation because by them man allows himself to be dominated by that which he has of the animal nature, much more deserving of condemnation are the sins against nature by which man degrades his own animal nature.

If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.

As mariners are guided into port by the shining of a star, so Christians are guided to heaven by Mary.

Eternity is called whole, not because it has parts, but because it is lacking in nothing.

Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine.

To restore man, who had been laid low by sin, to the heights of divine glory, the Word of the eternal Father, though containing all things within His immensity, willed to become small. This He did not by putting aside His greatness but by taking to Himself our littleness.

He who is not angry when there is just cause for anger is immoral. Why? Because anger looks to the good of justice. And if you can live amid injustice without anger, you are immoral as well as unjust.

I receive Thee ransom of my soul. For love of Thee have I studied and kept vigil toiled preached and taught.

If a thing can be done adequately by means of one, it is superfluous to do it by means of several; for we observe that nature does not employ two instruments [if] one suffices.

If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, because He Himself is the way.

How can we live in harmony? First we need to know we are all madly in love with the same God.

The blessed in the kingdom of heaven will see the punishments of the damned, in order that their bliss be more delightful for them.