"The universe of creatures will never [be allowed to] fall back into nothingness."

"Thomas, who recognizes without hesitation that the creature is nothing by itself, will never say that the creature is nothing in itself, or that it tends towards nothingness ('Tendere in nihilum non est proprie motus naturae, qui semper est in bonum, sed est ipsius defectus [(Properly speaking tendency to nothingness is not a movement of nature, which always has a tendency to the good; but it is a defect of nature that it tends to nothingness)]', De pot. q.5 a.1 ad 16).  It is always supported by the Word who has given it being and who maintains it in being in a permanent fashion (De pot. q.4 a.2 ad 8 and 14; Summa theol. I.34.3.ad 2).  Thomas is certain of this:  universitas creaturarum nunquam in nihilum redigetur [(the created universe will never be annihilated)] (De pot. q.5 a.4 co.)."

     Jean-Pierre Torrell, “Thomas d’Aquin,” Dictionnaire de spiritualité 15 (1991), col. 765 (718-773).