Quotes By Thomas Aquinas

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.

How is it they live in such harmony the billions of stars - when most men can barely go a minute without declaring war in their minds about someone they know.

A man has free choice to the extent that he is rational.

Because we cannot know what God is, but only what He is not, we cannot consider how He is but only how He is not.

The things that we love tell us what we are.

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

The truth of our faith becomes a matter of ridicule among the infidels if any Catholic, not gifted with the necessary scientific learning, presents as dogma what scientific scrutiny shows to be false.

To convert somebody go and take them by the hand and guide them.

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

Man cannot live without joy; therefore when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures.

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

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

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

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

There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.

We can't have full knowledge all at once. We must start by believing; then afterwards we may be led on to master the evidence for ourselves.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

By nature all men are equal in liberty, but not in other endowments.

Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand.

Temperance is simply a disposition of the mind which binds the passion.

That the saints may enjoy their beatitude and the grace of God more abundantly they are permitted to see the punishment of the damned in hell.

The principal act of courage is to endure and withstand dangers doggedly rather than to attack them.

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.

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.