Thomas Aquinas quotes

The highest manifestation of life consists in this: that a being governs its own actions. A thing which is always subject to the direction of another is somewhat of a dead thing.

• independence

As regards the individual nature, woman is defective and misbegotten, for the active power of the male seed tends to the production of a perfect likeness in the masculine sex; while the production of a woman comes from defect in the active power.

• active

Because philosophy arises from awe, a philosopher is bound in his way to be a lover of myths and poetic fables. Poets and philosophers are alike in being big with wonder.

• philosophy

Wonder is the desire for knowledge.

• desire

To live well is to work well, to show a good activity.

• activity

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

• faith

Better to illuminate than merely to shine, to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate.

• contemplate

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

• origin

Love takes up where knowledge leaves off.

• love

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

• deeds

Because of the diverse conditions of humans, it happens that some acts are virtuous to some people, as appropriate and suitable to them, while the same acts are immoral for others, as inappropriate to them.

• acts

The things that we love tell us what we are.

• love

Pray thee, spare, thyself at times: for it becomes a wise man sometimes to relax the high pressure of his attention to work.

• work

Every judgement of conscience, be it right or wrong, be it about things evil in themselves or morally indifferent, is obligatory, in such wise that he who acts against his conscience always sins.

• acts

God should not be called an individual substance, since the principal of individuation is matter.

• called

Three conditions are necessary for Penance: contrition, which is sorrow for sin, together with a purpose of amendment; confession of sins without any omission; and satisfaction by means of good works.

• amendment

Law is nothing other than a certain ordinance of reason for the common good, promulgated by the person who has the care of the community.

• care

It is necessary to posit something which is necessary of itself, and has no cause of its necessity outside of itself but is the cause of necessity in other things. And all people call this thing God.

• god

Clearly the person who accepts the Church as an infallible guide will believe whatever the Church teaches.

• accepts

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

• aim

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.

• common

In order for a war to be just, three things are necessary. First, the authority of the sovereign. Secondly, a just cause. Thirdly, a rightful intention.

• authority

Whatever is received is received according to the nature of the recipient.

• according

If forgers and malefactors are put to death by the secular power, there is much more reason for excommunicating and even putting to death one convicted of heresy.

• convicted

Now this relaxation of the mind from work consists on playful words or deeds. Therefore it becomes a wise and virtuous man to have recourse to such things at times.

• work

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

• sympathy

Moral science is better occupied when treating of friendship than of justice.

• friendship

It is possible to demonstrate God's existence, although not a priori, yet a posteriori from some work of His more surely known to us.

• demonstrate

Love is a binding force, by which another is joined to me and cherished by myself.

• love

The theologian considers sin mainly as an offence against God; the moral philosopher as contrary to reasonableness.

• religion

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

• care

Love must precede hatred, and nothing is hated save through being contrary to a suitable thing which is loved. And hence it is that every hatred is caused by love.

• being

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

• certain

Distinctions drawn by the mind are not necessarily equivalent to distinctions in reality.

• distinctions

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

• religion

Not everything that is more difficult is more meritorious.

• difficult

It is clear that he does not pray, who, far from uplifting himself to God, requires that God shall lower Himself to him, and who resorts to prayer not to stir the man in us to will what God wills, but only to persuade God to will what the man in us wills.

• clear

Perfection of moral virtue does not wholly take away the passions, but regulates them.

• moral

Those who are more adapted to the active life can prepare themselves for contemplation in the practice of the active life, while those who are more adapted to the contemplative life can take upon themselves the works of the active life so as to become yet more apt for contemplation.

• actions