The 89 Most Revealing Phrases Of Saint Thomas Aquinas
One of the most important thinkers who paved the way for Renaissanceism, his life was dedicated to study, writing and teaching. The thoughts and phrases of Saint Thomas Aquinas They are based on the close relationship between human reason and faith.
Founder of the Thomistic school, he had an Aristotelian influence, and focused his studies on metaphysics and cosmology. All this added to a life understood as a mission set out to serve the Christian god and the use of philosophy to understand that divine dimension in which he believed
1. Good can exist without evil, while evil cannot exist without good
In some way or another each pole needs the shadow of the other.
2. Fear the one-book man
This phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas refers to people who have a fixed ideal and show it with candor.
3. Beings endowed with intelligence desire to always exist and a natural desire cannot exist in vain
That is why they transcend through their works.
4. The scholar is the one who leads others to what he has understood: the truth
This quote from Saint Thomas Aquinas values ​​the power of people who dedicate their lives to study as they resonate with others.
5. There are particular goods that have no necessary relationship with happiness, since without them one can be happy. The will does not necessarily adhere to such goods.
And those kinds of things don’t appear without forcing them.
6. For an act to be voluntary, it must proceed from an intrinsic principle with some knowledge of the end
If we are going to offer our help it must be free and spontaneous.
7. If a captain’s highest goal were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.
This phrase tells us that if we do not take risks we will not see the results of what we propose.
8. Believing is an act of the understanding that assents to divine truth by the rule of the will moved by God through grace.
In this one from Saint Thomas Aquinas we can see the reaffirmation of his faith.
9. Faith refers to things that are not seen, and hope refers to things that are not within reach.
A simple way to conceptualize these two elements.
10. Law is what is fair or adjusted to another according to a certain kind of equality
We don’t all have the same perspective of what is fair.
11. The law is the prescription of reason, ordered to the common good, given by the one who is in charge of the care of the community
This phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas is focused on situations of civil coexistence.
12. God loves everything that exists
In this phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas, he centers the reason for his faith.
13. Since the particular sciences leave some things that need investigation untreated, the existence of a universal and first science is necessary that studies those questions that the particular sciences do not deal with.
About the study of different types of topics that were little taken into account at the time.
14. Divine love, without comparison, is a force of fusion, because it wants good for others
This phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas talks about unconditional love
15. This is what loving someone really consists of: wanting good for them. Therefore, in what someone loves, he wants good for himself.
About that love that feeds both people.
16. The essence of love is to become friends with God, while He is happy and the source of happiness.”
Another phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas focuses on the love of God, as an expression of his faith.
17. It is necessary to admit something that is absolutely necessary, whose cause of its need is not in another, but rather that it is the cause of the need of others. Everyone calls him God
Saint Thomas Aquinas, in this phrase, makes apology of Christianity
18. The existence of God is evident in itself, but not for us, therefore it must be demonstrated”
About the struggle and importance of opening a path to religion.
19. Jesus Christ is the image of God in humans
In this phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas he reinforces the idea that Jesus emanates directly from God, something that characterizes Christianity and its conception of the divine.
20. Christian spirituality has no other norm than that of following Christ the teacher
Another phrase dedicated to religious faith.
21. Contemplate and give to others what is contemplated
This phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas emphasizes the importance of solidarity.
22. In itself, mercy is the greatest of the virtues, since it belongs to pouring into others and, even more, helping their shortcomings.
On dogmas based on mercy.
23. This is peculiar to the superior, and that is why it is considered characteristic of God to have mercy, in which his omnipotence shines in a maximum way.
In this phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas humanizes God, and that weight is transferred to the duty of each person
24. If someone does not love the truth, he is not a man
Truth as an inherent and pure trait of humanity.
25. The root of freedom is found in reason. There is no freedom except in the truth
Lies always enslave us.
26. To educate is to promote to one’s offspring the perfect state of man as a man, that is, to the state of virtue.
For Saint Thomas Aquinas, dedication to study was the most important thing after faith.
27. Acting follows being
This phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas refers to the search for
28. The law is the prescription of reason, ordered to the common good, given by the one who is in charge of the care of the community
One of the phrases of Saint Thomas Aquinas that invite deep reflection.
29. The being of things, not their truth, is the cause of truth in the understanding
In this phrase by Saint Thomas Aquinas he refers to the essence of everything that exists as what matters.
30. It is evident that the truth exists. Because he who denies that the truth exists, he knows that the truth exists. If, then, truth does not exist, it is true that truth does not exist
What is denied is because in some way it is being taken as something that exists.
31. Sin offends God which harms man
In this phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas, he brings the idea that the basis of the relationship with God involves sin
32. Everything that is true, no matter who said it, has its origin in the spirit
This phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas places the origin of knowledge in the divine.
33. Every man has to invent his way
It refers to the fact that each person can modify episodes of their life as they wish.
34. Every movement of the will must be preceded by knowledge. But not the other way around: not all knowledge is preceded by a voluntary notion.
About the origin of the reason why we decide to do things.
35. Treat others as you would like others to treat you
This phrase talks about empathy and benevolence.
36. The action of understanding consists in the formality or concept of the known thing being found in the knower; On the other hand, the act of the will is perfected by the movement towards the thing as it is in itself.
Each thing takes shape according to how it moves.
38. God, who is a pure act and has no potentiality at all, has infinite active power over other things
Phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas that strengthens his belief.
39. As an individual, a woman is a weak and defective being.
Position of Saint Thomas Aquinas regarding the female figure
40. Love takes the place that knowledge leaves
In this phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas he refers to the fact that love and cognition often follow the same path.
41. Bad law, null law
If it is not useful, the law does not exist.
42. All truth, no matter who says it, is from the Holy Spirit
For Saint Thomas Aquinas, the origin of value is the divine.
43. To him who has faith, no explanation is necessary. For one without faith, no explanation is possible
If you don’t believe in something, then you don’t believe.
44. Love is not a passion, because no virtue is a passion, and all love is “a certain virtue
In this phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas he exalts love before any other expression of affection.
45. In this life, it is better to love God than to know him
For Saint Thomas Aquinas, God is the main reason for any reason.
46. ​​The common good surpasses the particular good
It is better to fight for each other’s causes since it allows us to grow in spirit.
47. Whatever gift we give to someone, the first gift we give them is to love them.
Phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas about solidarity and love for one’s neighbor.
48. The father must be loved more than the mother, since he is the active principle of procreation, while the mother is only the passive principle.
This phrase from Saint Thomas Aquinas would be highly questioned today.
49. True love grows with difficulties; the false one goes off. From experience we know that when we endure difficult trials for someone we love, love does not collapse, but rather grows.
About the honest love that builds.
50. Love leads to happiness. Only those who have it are promised eternal bliss. And without it, everything else is insufficient.
This philosopher tells us about love.
51. The one who loves comes out of his interior and moves into the loved one’s interior in that he wants his good and gives himself to achieve it, as if it were for himself.
About tolerance and unconditional support in the couple
You may be interested: “The 7 keys to having a healthy relationship”
52. Any true friend wants for his friend: 1- to exist and live; 2- all assets; 3- doing good; 4- delighting in his coexistence; and 5- finally, sharing with him his joys and sorrows, living with him in one heart.
In this phrase Saint Thomas Aquinas tells us about friendship.
53. A friend is better than honor, and being loved is better than being honored
Above all, affection and friendship must prevail.
54. Love produces perfect joy in man. In fact, only he who lives in charity truly enjoys
Another phrase about love.
55. God, the cause of everything, because of the immenseness of his loving kindness, comes out of his own interior to fulfill all things
For Saint Thomas Aquinas, God is the answer to every type of question.
56. The only instrument that men have both to perfect ourselves and to live with dignity is education.
Reflections on the importance of study and knowledge.
57. The true teacher is the one who helps the student to achieve the perfection of science
About the role of the teacher.
58. All men by nature desire to know.
About the need for knowledge.
59. The teacher who limits himself to answering a problem only with arguments (citing authors) leaves the disciple with an empty head.
The use of experience when sharing knowledge has greater power.
60. A man has free choice to the extent that he is rational.
One of the keys to human nature.
61. Justice without mercy is cruelty.
A good definition of what a fair system should be.
62. All the efforts of the human mind cannot exhaust the essence of a single fly.
The wonder of the mind was widely debated by Saint Thomas.
63. Inconstancy is a special sin of prudence.
About the weaknesses of the human being.
64. It is necessary that the diversity of nature in powers is established by reason of the diversity of acts, which in turn is established by reason of the diversity of objectives.
Some of Saint Thomas’ contributions remain true philosophical treatises.
65. It is possible to demonstrate the existence of God, although not a priori, but a posteriori, through his acts, which are more feasible for us.
The existence of God was one of the topics he addressed throughout his career.
66. The soul is known by its actions.
The human soul was widely debated by theologians and philosophers of the Middle Ages.
67. Living is more perfect than being, and knowing is more perfect than living.
During his life he placed great emphasis on the importance of knowledge and learning.
68. You, who are the true source of light and wisdom and the supreme principle.
The beginning of one of his most famous sentences.
69. Deign to infuse the darkness of my intelligence with the radiance of your clarity, removing from me the double darkness into which I was born: sin and ignorance.
The duality between luminous knowledge and dark ignorance has been a constant in universal history.
70. Give me success when starting; direction when progressing and perfection when finishing. You, who are true God, Man who lives and reigns. Forever and ever. Amen.
A truly beautiful prayer.
71. Give me acuity to understand, ability to assimilate, method and ease to learn, ingenuity to interpret and copious grace to speak.
Saint Thomas always staunchly defended the methodical study of subjects.
72. You, who make the tongues of children eloquent, also educate mine and infuse my lips with the grace of your blessing.
Education has always been a supreme value for great thinkers.
73. In the same way that it is better to illuminate than to only shine, it is also greater to give to others the things contemplated than to only contemplate them.
A piece of advice that we can follow in our daily lives.
74. What is received is received as the recipient.
A very special way of understanding knowledge.
75. The father must be loved more than the mother, since he is the active principle of procreation, while the mother is only the passive principle.
An approach that today is quite controversial.
76. Due to the diversity of human conditions, it happens that some acts are virtuous for some, and therefore appropriate and suitable for them, while the same acts are immoral, and therefore inappropriate, for others.
The human condition was widely studied by this Italian philosopher and theologian.
77. I prefer to feel compassion rather than know its meaning. I prefer to act with compassion, rather than think about personal advantage.
A good recipe to be happy that we can use in our lives.
78. The things we love tell us who we are.
A phrase that remains valid today.
79. The test of the artist does not rest on the avidity with which he will work, but on the excellence of the work he produces.
A very exact definition about art and artists.
80. There is nothing on this earth that should be appreciated more than a true friendship.
A truth that continues to have great validity in the 21st century.
81. Man cannot live without joy. Therefore, when he is deprived of true spiritual joys, he becomes addicted to carnal pleasures.
A way of conceiving the world very adapted to the ideas of its time.
82. Man should not consider his material possessions as his own, but as collective, in addition to sharing them without a doubt, when others are in need.
A revolutionary way of conceiving the world.
83. Times are never bad enough that a good man cannot live in them.
A phrase full of optimism and inspiration.
84. We should love them both, those whose opinions we share, and those whose opinions we object to, since both sides have worked together in the search for the truth, and both sides have helped find it.
Only in this way will we achieve understanding and harmony.
85. To love is to wish the other well.
A truly beautiful phrase that we can remember for the rest of our lives.
86. For a war to be just, only three things are needed. First, the authority of the sovereign. Secondly, a just cause. And thirdly, a legitimate intention.
A recipe whose application could be useful in our times.
87. By nature, all men are equal in freedoms, but not in other qualities.
Saint Thomas provided very sophisticated knowledge about human nature.
88. The kindest gesture anyone can extend to another person is to guide them from error to truth.
His quest for knowledge and truth was truly commendable.
89. One cannot use a bad action to refer to a good intention.
A very accurate reflection on good intentions misunderstood.
