4 Aquinas Quotes That Have Transformed My View of Faith
How spirituality became a whole new ball game to me after reading from the author of Summa Theologica
In my Intro to Philosophy class at Auburn last semester, my professor got to the point of simply nicknaming me “Aquinas” in class — so safe to say, he and I are tight.
Since I first heard Henry McCord of Madam Secretary quote Aquinas, I’ve been curious about what he add to offer me in all of my spiritual questions and thoughts about faith.
Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised at his wisdom and continue to be changed by it everytime I encounter some of his translated words. On that note, let’s get into these quotes
“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.”
One thing that has changed about me since being in college is the way that I view other peoples’ opinions. I have always been opinionated, and learned enough skills in highschool speech and debate to crush anyone who doesn’t agree with me.
However, I don’t enjoy doing that in the same way anymore.
Now, I’m realizing the infinite value in understanding where other people are coming from — both professionally and personally. I enter into conversations now with the goal of learning more about the other person than I dare to share about myself, in hopes of expanding my worldview and understanding people different from me.
Sometimes I even seek out discomfort and purposely step out of the echo chamber that my community and own thoughts can be sometimes.
I think doing so has given me a grander appreciation for the truth, a larger common ground with my fellow humans, and a better understanding of who God is and how He isn’t like me — and thank goodness for that.
“The things that we love tell us what we are.”
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” is a phrase credited to Jesus in Matthew 6, and I think there’s a ridiculous amount of truth behind it.
Tell me what you love and I’ll tell you who you are. People who love immoral things, like degrading others, breaking moral codes, or harming good and innocent things are not people we enjoy being around — because we know their affiliations with corrupt things points to their identity.
Similarly, we seek out good things to love and allow that to shape us, hopefully.
When you love God, in the same way, you become more like Him — just as you become like the people you associate yourself with and love. Look at what you love, and you’ll have greater insight into both who you are and who you’re becoming.
“Rarely affirm, seldom deny, always distinguish.”
I’ll be honest, this quote scared me at first.
I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it, and knew that it would take me some deep thought and reflection to really understood what it meant and what it could speak into my life.
While I have yet to be able to find the text source for this quote, I’ve read some commentary on what it means that has allowed me to see how incredible of a philosophy for life it provides.
Rarely affirm speaks to the fact that truth is rare, hard to find, and easily mistaken. Be careful what you put your stamp of approval on — be prudent, and quick to say no.
In addition, seldom deny — don’t discount something without the proper information, or turn down something that desperately deserves your attention.
Finally, always distinguish. Details and particulars matter in a lot of areas, and it would be right for you to divide them out as well as you can whenever you have the power to do so. Be wise, dilligent with the truth, and good in all things.
“Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine.”
At the end of the day, we are simple creatures.
I think this is actually the first Aquinas quote I ever heard because Dr. Henry McCord leans over and tells his wife these words during a particularly stressful Madam Secretary episode where the Secretary is asking for some words of advice.
Life is pretty easy sometimes. Oftentimes we just need to take care of ourselves to get back in a right headspace. After all, God made us physical creatures with physical bodies, and as Dallas Willard argues in The Spirit of the Disciplines, that demands some attention on our part.
Take care of yourself. Don’t take everything so seriously. Pause and just be sometimes — and your life will go well and your sorrows will be bearable.
I hope these quotes have spoken to you the way that they’ve spoken to me. Best of luck in your spiritual and philosophical walk.
