Thomas Aquinas: Trending quotes (page 2)

“Beware the man of a single book.”
Hominem unius libri timeo. / Timeo hominem unius libri.

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

“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.”

“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.”

“The Study of philosophy is not that we may know what men have thought, but what the truth of things is.”

“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.”

“Wonder is the desire of knowledge.”

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

“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?”

“I would rather feel compassion than know the meaning of it. I would hope to act with compassion without thinking of personal gain.”

“Rarely affirm, seldom deny, always distinguish.”

“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.”

“Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious.”

“There must be must be a first mover existing above all – and this we call God.”

“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.”

“Faith has to do with things that are not seen, and hope with things that are not in hand.”

“Obedience unites us so closely to God that it in a way transforms us into Him, so that we have no other will but His.
If obedience is lacking, even prayer cannot be pleasing to God.”

“The happy man in this life needs friends.”

“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.”