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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.

Thomas Aquinas

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Thomas Aquinas
Age: 49 †
Born: 1225
Born: February 1
Died: 1274
Died: March 14
Dominican Friar
Philosopher
Priest
Professor
Roman Catholic Priest
Theologian
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Saint Thomas
Tommaso d'Aquino
Thomas of Aquino
St Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas
Thing
Subject
Governs
Always
Subjects
Reliance
Life
Highest
Somewhat
Dead
Manifestation
Liberty
Consists
Freedom
Direction
Action
Actions
Another
Inspire

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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.
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Now it seems that everything in the world stems from sources other than God, since the products of nature have their source in nature deliberate effects can be traced back to human reason or will as their source. There is no need then to assume that God exists.
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The custom of the Church has very great authority and ought to be jealously observed in all things.
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The perfection of the effect demonstrates the perfection of the cause, for a greater power brings about a more perfect effect. But God is the most perfect agent. Therefore, things created by Him obtain perfection from Him. So, to detract from the perfection of creatures is to detract from the perfection of divine power.
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If all the sins of the flesh are worthy of condemnation because by them man allows himself to be dominated by that which he has of the animal nature, much more deserving of condemnation are the sins against nature by which man degrades his own animal nature.
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Happiness is secured through virtue it is a good attained by man's own will.
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Charity is not a potency of the soul, because if it were it would be natural. Nor is it a passion, because it is not in a sensitive potency in which are all passions. Nor is it a habit, because a habit is removed with difficulty charity, however, is easily lost through one act of mortal sin. Therefore charity is not something created in the soul.
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Sin is a spiritual illness thus sinners are in need of salvation.
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Humility is the mark of a genuine disciple.
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Temperance is simply a disposition of the mind which binds the passion.
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We should love others truly, for their own sakes rather than our own.
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The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in His divinity, assumed our nature, so that He, made man, might make men gods.
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If someone knows from experience that daily Communion increases fervor without lessening reverence, then let him go every day. But if someone finds that reverence is lessened and devotion not much increased, then let him sometimes abstain, so as to draw near afterwards with better dispositions.
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As regards the individual nature, woman is defective and misbegotten, for the active power of the male seed tends to the production of a perfect likeness in the masculine sex while the production of a woman comes from defect in the active power.
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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.
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It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes.
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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.
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One cannot use an evil action with reference to a good intention.
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