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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
Dead
Manifestation
Liberty
Consists
Freedom
Direction
Action
Actions
Another
Inspire
Thing
Subject
Governs
Always
Subjects
Reliance
Life
Highest
Somewhat

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Bestow upon me, O Lord my God, understanding to know thee, diligence to seek thee, wisdom to find thee, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace thee.
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Whatever is received is received according to the nature of the recipient.
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It is a sin to regard the fact that God cannot do the impossible as a limitation on his powers.
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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.
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Future contingents cannot be certain to us, because we know them as such. They can be certain only to God whose understanding is in eternity above time. Just as a man going along a road does not see those who come after him but the man who sees the whole road from a height sees all those who are going along the road at the same time.
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It would seem that zeal is not an effect of love. For zeal is a beginning of contention.
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Likewise grace and glory are referred to the same genus, since grace is nothing other than a certain first beginning of glory in us.
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To the Everlasting Father, And the Son who made us free And the Spirit, God proceeding From them Each eternally, Be salvation, honour, blessing, Might and endless majesty.
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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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Distinctions drawn by the mind are not necessarily equivalent to distinctions in reality.
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The soul is like an uninhabited world that comes to life only when God lays His head against us.
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It is not possible to be ignorant of the end of things if we know their beginning.
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God himself would not permit evil in this world if good did not come of it for the benefit and harmony of the universe.
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To love God is something greater than to know Him.
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There being an imminent danger for the faith, prelates must be questioned, even publicly, by their subjects.
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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.
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In order for a war to be just, three things are necessary. First, the authority of the sovereign... Secondly, a just cause... Thirdly... a rightful intention.
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Devotion is a certain act of the will by which man gives himself promptly to divine service.
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Sin is a spiritual illness thus sinners are in need of salvation.
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