When Thomas Aquinas referred to his works as “straw,” he was emphasizing their relative insignificance compared to the ultimate truth and divine wisdom. This statement appears in his writings, particularly in the context of humility and the recognition that human knowledge, no matter how profound, is ultimately limited and fleeting. Aquinas believed that even his most brilliant theological and philosophical works were like straw—valuable perhaps in their earthly usefulness but ultimately insignificant in comparison to the divine truth and the glory of God.
This humility reflects Aquinas’s understanding that human efforts and intellectual pursuits are subordinate to God’s infinite wisdom, and that true fulfillment and understanding come from divine revelation rather than human achievement alone.