Thomas Aquinas Quotes
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One cannot use an evil action with reference to a good intention.
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Law; an ordinance of reason for the common good, made by him who has care of the community.
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Because the divine goodness could not be adequately represented by one creature alone, God produced many and diverse creatures, that what was wanting in one in the representation of the divine goodness might be supplied by another. For goodness, which in God is simple and uniform, in creatures is manifold and divided. Thus the whole universe together participates in the divine goodness more perfectly and represents it better than any single creature.
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God's precepts are light to the loving, heavy to the fearful.
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For creation is not a change, but that dependence of the created existence on the principle from which it is instituted, and thus is of the genus of relation; whence nothing prohibits it being in the created as in the subject. Creation is thus said to be a kind of change, according to the way of understanding, insofar as our intellect accepts one and the same thing as not existing before and afterwards existing.
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He that obstinately denieth the truth before men upon earth, wilfully refuseth his soul's health in heaven.
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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.
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To the Everlasting Father, And the Son who made us free And the Spirit, God proceeding From them Each eternally, Be salvation, honour, blessing, Might and endless majesty.
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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.
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It would seem that the ingratitude, whereby a subsequent sin causes the return of sins previously forgiven, is a special sin. For, the giving of thanks belongs to counter passion, which is a necessary condition of justice. But justice is a special virtue. Therefore this ingratitude is a special sin. Thanksgiving is a special virtue. But ingratitude is opposed to thanksgiving. Therefore ingratitude is a special sin.
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If there were some solitary or feral man, the passions of the soul would be sufficient for him; by them he would be conformed to things in order that he might have knowledge of them. But because man is naturally political and social, there is need for one man to make his conceptions known to others, which is done with speech. So significant speech was needed if men were to live together. Which is why those of different tongues do not easily live together.
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The human mind may perceive truth only through thinking, as is clear from Augustine.
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Likewise grace and glory are referred to the same genus, since grace is nothing other than a certain first beginning of glory in us.
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It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes.
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If anyone without the right faith receives Baptism outside the Church, he does not receive it unto salvation ... From the comparison of the Church to Paradise, we learn that men can receive her Baptism even outside her fold, but that out there no one can receive or keep the salvation of the blessed.
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I would rather feel compassion than know the meaning of it. I would hope to act with compassion without thinking of personal gain.
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God answered the prayers of animals.
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To pretend angels do not exist because they are invisible is to believe we never sleep because we don't see ourselves sleeping.
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Baptism is the Sacrament of Faith. Now, dead faith does not suffice for salvation .. .Therefore, the Sacrament of Baptism cannot give salvation to a man whose will ... expels the form of faith.
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Mistakes are made on two counts: an argument is either based on error or incorrectly developed.
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Charity is the form, mover, mother and root of all the virtues.
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God is never angry for His sake, only for ours.
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So, to detract from the perfection of creatures is to detract from the perfection of divine power.
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It is only God who creates. Man merely rearranges.