Thomas Aquinas Quotes
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There is, therefore, a more perfect intellectual life in the angels. In them the intellect does not proceed to self-knowledge from anything exterior, but knows itself through itself.
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If... the motion of the earth were circular, it would be violent and contrary to nature, and could not be eternal, since ... nothing violent is eternal .... It follows, therefore, that the earth is not moved with a circular motion.
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Man is closer to God according to his existence in grace than he is according to his existence in nature.
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We are like children, who stand in need of masters to enlighten us and direct us; God has provided for this, by appointing his angels to be our teachers and guides.
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Justice is in subjects as well as in rulers.
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Down in adoration falling, Lo! the sacred Host we hail; Lo! o'er ancient forms departing, Newer rites of grace prevail; Faith for all defects supplying, Where the feeble senses fail.
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He who is dying of hunger must be fed rather than taught.
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Miracles are signs not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.
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As the saints will rejoice in all goods, so will the damned grieve for all goods.
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Whatever a man has in superabundance is owed, of natural right, to the poor for their sustenance.
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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.
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The highest perfection of human life consists in the mind of man being detached from care, for the sake of God.
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Love works in a circle, for the beloved moves the lover by stamping a likeness, and the lover then goes out to hold the beloved inreality. Who first was the beginning now becomes the end of motion.
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We set forth our petitions before God, not in order to make known to Him our needs and desires, but rather so that we ourselves may realize that in these things it is necessary to turn to God for help.
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Sacred Scripture, since it has no science above itself, can dispute with one who denies its principles only if the opponent admits some at least of the truths obtained through divine revelation; thus we can argue with heretics from texts in Holy Writ, and against those who deny one article of faith we can argue from another. If our opponent believes nothing of divine revelation, there is no longer any means of proving the articles of faith by reasoning, but only of answering his objections - if he has any - against faith.
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Theology is taught by God, teaches God, and leads to God.
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Charity, by which God and neighbor are loved, is the most perfect friendship.
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Clearly the person who accepts the Church as an infallible guide will believe whatever the Church teaches.
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Eternity is called whole, not because it has parts, but because it is lacking in nothing.
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Man can sin against nature in two ways. First, when he sins against his specific rational nature, acting contrary to reason. In this sense, we can say that every sin is a sin against man's nature, because it is against man's right reason.
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The Angel's bread is made the Bread of man today.
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Since faith rests upon infallible truth, and since the contrary of a truth can never be demonstrated, it is clear that the arguments brought against faith cannot be demonstrations, but are difficulties that can be answered.
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It is unlawful to add anything to the words of Holy Scripture regarding the sense.
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There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.