Italian Dominican friar & priest (1225-1274)
God is not related to creatures as though belonging to a different "genus," but as transcending every "genus," and as the principle of all "genera."
THOMAS AQUINAS
Summa Theologica
Thus Angels' Bread is made
The Bread of man today:
The Living Bread from Heaven
With figures doth away:
O wondrous gift indeed!
The poor and lowly may
Upon their Lord and Master feed.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Sacris Solemniis Juncta Sint Gaudia
Miracles are signs not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Theological Texts
Muhammad seduced the people by promises of carnal pleasure to which the concupiscence of the flesh goads us. His teaching also contained precepts that were in conformity with his promises, and he gave free rein to carnal pleasure. In all this, as is not unexpected, he was obeyed by carnal men. As for proofs of the truth of his doctrine, he brought forward only such as could be grasped by the natural ability of anyone with a very modest wisdom. Indeed, the truths that he taught he mingled with many fables and with doctrines of the greatest falsity. He did not bring forth any signs produced in a supernatural way, which alone fittingly gives witness to divine inspiration; for a visible action that can be only divine reveals an invisibly inspired teacher of truth. On the contrary, Muhammad said that he was sent in the power of his arms--which are signs not lacking even to robbers and tyrants. What is more, no wise men, men trained in things divine and human, believed in him from the beginning, Those who believed in him were brutal men and desert wanderers, utterly ignorant of all divine teaching, through whose numbers Muhammad forced others to become his followers by the violence of his arms. Nor do divine pronouncements on the part of preceding prophets offer him any witness. On the contrary, he perverts almost all the testimonies of the Old and New Testaments by making them into fabrications of his own, as can be seen by anyone who examines his law. It was, therefore, a shrewd decision on his part to forbid his followers to read the Old and New Testaments, lest these books convict him of falsity. It is thus clear that those who place any faith in his words believe foolishly.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Summa Contra Gentiles
Anything done against faith or conscience is sinful.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Commentary on Romans
The image of God always abides in the soul, whether this image be obsolete and clouded over as to amount to almost nothing; or whether it be obscured or disfigured, as is the case with sinners; or whether it be clear and beautiful as is the case with the just.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Summa Theologica
When the devil is called the God of this world, it is not because he made it, but because we serve him with our worldliness.
THOMAS AQUINAS
attributed, Treasury of Spiritual Wisdom
The proper task of the Savior is that he is a savior; indeed, for this he came into the world: to seek and save what was lost.
THOMAS AQUINAS
"Osanna filio David", The Academic Sermons
O saving Victim, opening wide
The gate of heaven to man below,
Our foes press on from every side,
Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Verbum Supernum Prodiens
The greatness of the human being consists in this: that it is capable of the universe.
THOMAS AQUINAS
De Veritate
Affirmative precepts are distinguished from negative whenever one is not comprised in the other; thus, that of honoring parents does not comprise that of not killing, and vice versa.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Summa Theologica
For just as the first general precepts of the law of nature are self-evident to one in possession of natural reason, and have no need of promulgation, so also that of believing in God is primary and self-evident to one who has faith: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Summa Theologica
Reason in man is rather like God in the world.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Opuscules
The human race was in need of salvation because of the perversity of sin. For when people who are ill are cured from their illness, they are called "saved." Therefore, the Lord says: "Your faith has saved you."
THOMAS AQUINAS
"Osanna filio David", The Academic Sermons
Now just vengeance is taken only for that which is done unjustly; hence that which provokes anger is always something considered in the light of an injustice.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Summa Theologica
Anger and the like are attributed to God on account of a similitude of effect. Thus, because to punish is properly the act of an angry man, God's punishment is metaphorically spoken of as His anger.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Summa Theologica
Just as it is better to illuminate than merely to shine, so to pass on what one has contemplated is better than merely to contemplate.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Summa Theologica
See to whom Jesus is drawing near, three kinds of people: to those who make peace with him, to those who are devoted to God, and to those who are kind to their neighbors.
THOMAS AQUINAS
"Osanna filio David", The Academic Sermons
We ought to cherish the body. Our body's substance is not from an evil principle, as the Manicheans imagine, but from God. And therefore, we ought to cherish the body by the friendship of love, by which we love God.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Summa Theologica
It would seem that zeal is not an effect of love. For zeal is a beginning of contention.
THOMAS AQUINAS
Summa Theologica