Thomas Aquinas Quotes

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.

Love takes up where knowledge leaves off.

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

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.

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

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

Not everything that is more difficult is more meritorious.

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

Reason in man is rather like God in the world.

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

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 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.

The knowledge of God is the cause of things. For the knowledge of God is to all creatures what the knowledge of the artificer is to things made by his art.

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

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.

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

The things that we love tell us what we are.

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 but one Church in which men find salvation, just as outside the ark of Noah it was not possible for anyone to be saved.

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

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.

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.

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.

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