Unlocking the profound wisdom of the ages through the written word is an art that transcends time. In the world of philosophy, few names shine as brightly as that of Thomas Aquinas. His enduring legacy is a testament to his intellectual prowess and his ability to encapsulate complex ideas in succinct and thought-provoking quotes. His quotes serve as beacons of wisdom, illuminating the path to a deeper understanding of life, ethics, and the human condition. Join me as we navigate the intellectual landscape of Thomas Aquinas Quotes, where every phrase is a reflection of timeless insight and a testament to the enduring power of words.
Thomas Aquinas Quotes (2024)
Explore the profound wisdom of Thomas Aquinas through a collection of his insightful quotes that delve into philosophy, ethics, and the human condition. These timeless words continue to inspire and challenge us, offering valuable insights into the complexities of life and the pursuit of knowledge.
"To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible."
"The things that we love tell us what we are."
"Three things are necessary for the salvation of man: to know what he ought to believe; to know what he ought to desire; and to know what he ought to do."
"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship."
"The greatest kindness one can render to any man consists in leading him from error to truth."
"Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine."
"To love is to will the good of the other."
"Law is nothing else than an ordinance of reason for the common good, made by him who has care of the community."
"The human soul is like an empty vessel waiting to be filled with knowledge."
"Good can exist without evil, whereas evil cannot exist without good."
"Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand."
"The study of philosophy is not that we may know what men have thought, but what the truth of things is."
"The things that we love tell us what God is."
"An act of love is never wasted, for it always leads to something good."
"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."
"We must love them both, those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject."
"The soul is like an uninhabited world that comes to life only when God lays His hand upon it."
"There is nothing in the intellect that was not first in the senses."
"The end of all human knowledge should be to understand and appreciate the divine."
"The perfection of the universe is the most perfect cause."
"To convert somebody go and take them by the hand and guide them."
"A man has free choice to the extent that he is rational."
"Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious."
"All that is true, by whomsoever it has been said, has its origin in the Spirit."
"Love takes up where knowledge leaves off."
"Love is a binding force, by which another is joined to me and cherished by myself."
"Fear is such a powerful emotion for humans that when we allow it to take us over, it drives compassion right out of our hearts."
"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."
"The principal act of courage is to endure and withstand dangers doggedly rather than to attack them."
"It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes."
"Love is the most necessary of all virtues. Love in the person who preaches the word of God is like fire in a musket. If a person were to throw a bullet with his hands, he would hardly make a dent in anything; but if the person takes the same bullet and ignites some gunpowder behind it, it can kill. It is much the same with the word of God. If it is spoken by someone who is filled with the fire of charity- the fire of love of God and neighbor- it will work wonders."
"No man can live without delight, and that is why a man deprived of spiritual joy goes over to carnal pleasures."
"All the efforts of the human mind cannot exhaust the essence of a single fly."
"Man cannot live without joy; therefore, when he is deprived of true spiritual joys, it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures."
"To live well is to work well, to show a good activity."
"The human mind is naturally addicted to knowledge."
"The highest manifestation of life consists in this: that a being governs its own actions. A thing is alive only if it contains within itself the principle of motion and rest."
"The soul is like an uninhabited world that comes to life only when God lays His head against us."
"We must love them both—those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in finding it."
"The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance."
"Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath, and a glass of wine."
"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."
"The things that are of God are above all things, and require that we die to ourselves in order to attain them."
"The things of the earth exist only a little, and then they are no more seen; and man also exists only a little, and then he is not, because he does not exist for himself, but for the things of the earth."
"Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe."
"To convert somebody, go and take them by the hand and guide them."
"The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance."
"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."
"The soul is like an eye: when it sees and looks upon that which is truly beautiful, it cannot restrain itself from the desire of union with that which it loves."
"The things we love tell us what we are."
"The three most important virtues are humility, humility, and humility."
"Justice is a certain rectitude of mind whereby a man does what he ought to do in the circumstances confronting him."
"There is no truth without love and there is no love without truth."
"The study of truth requires a considerable effort - which is why few are willing to undertake it out of love of knowledge - despite the fact that God has implanted a natural appetite for such knowledge in the minds of men."
"Love follows knowledge."
"Grace is nothing else but a certain beginning of glory within us."
"Better to illuminate than merely to shine, to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate."
"Man has free choice, or otherwise counsels, exhortations, commands, prohibitions, rewards, and punishments would be in vain."
"The highest manifestation of life consists in this: that a being governs its own actions."
"Wonder is the desire for knowledge."
"There is within every soul a thirst for happiness and meaning."
"No man should consider himself a success in this world unless he has so trained his children that they stand a better chance in life than he did."
"The human mind may perceive truth only through thinking, as is clear from Augustine."
"Beware of the person of one book."
"The test of the artist does not lie in the will with which he goes to work, but in the excellence of the work he produces."
"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."
"Man cannot live without joy; therefore when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures."
"The human soul is the most excellent of all created things."
"The study of truth requires a considerable effort - which is why few are willing to undertake it out of love of knowledge - despite the fact that God has implanted a natural appetite for such knowledge in the souls of all men."
"The best way to study is to go to the end of the chapter and summarize what you have learned."
"The end of all my labors has come. All that I have written appears to be as so much straw after the things that have been revealed to me."
"The soul is known by its acts."
"The intellect is naturally led by the appetite to the knowledge of truth."
"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'"
"Beauty adds to goodness a relation to the cognitive faculty: so that "good" means that which simply pleases the appetite, while the "beautiful" is something pleasant to apprehend."
"The object of hope is a future good, difficult but possible to attain."
"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."
"The best way to study is to go to the end of the chapter and summarize what you have learned."
"The soul is the form of the body."
"The Eucharist is the Sacrament of Love; it signifies Love, it produces love."
"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."
"There is nothing to which every man has a more unassailable title than to his own life and person."
"The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom. For in all the states of created beings capable of law, where there is no law, there is no freedom."
"The human person, created in the image of God, is a being at once corporeal and spiritual."
"We must love them both, those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject, for both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in finding it."
"Faith has to do with things that are not seen, and hope with things that are not in hand."
"The three things I most wanted to know, I found out only after prayer: what I ought to do, what I ought to say, and what to keep silent about."
"Justice is the firm and continuous desire to render to everyone that which is his due."
"The Eucharist is the Sacrament of Love; it signifies Love; it produces love."
"A judgment is said to be true when it conforms to the external reality."
"Happiness is secured through virtue; it is a good attained by man's own will."
"The best way to silence your critics is to do what they claim you can't."
"Happiness consists in the attainment of perfect good."
"The things that are pleasing to the body are temporary; the things that are pleasing to the soul are permanent and divine."
"The highest form of charity would be that which compelled us to die for others."
"The study of truth requires a considerable effort – which is why few are willing to undertake it out of love of knowledge – despite the fact that God has implanted a natural appetite for such knowledge in the minds of men."
"The human mind is driven by the pursuit of happiness."
"The highest manifestation of life consists in this: that a being governs its own actions. A thing is free to the extent that it governs its actions by will."
"To bear with patience wrongs done to oneself is a mark of perfection, but to bear with patience wrongs done to someone else is a mark of imperfection and even of actual sin."
"Happiness is secured through virtue; it is a good attained by man's own will."
In the ever-evolving journey of human thought and inquiry, Thomas Aquinas Quotes stand as a testament to the enduring quest for truth and understanding. They serve as a bridge between the past and the present, offering timeless insights into the nature of faith, reason, and the human soul. As we contemplate these words, we are reminded of the profound impact that one individual's intellectual and spiritual pursuits can have on the world. In a world marked by change and uncertainty, the enduring wisdom of Thomas Aquinas Quotes continues to provide solace, guidance, and a profound sense of connection to the eternal pursuit of knowledge and virtue.
