MyCatholicSource.com - 'Quick Help' Page: Should Catholics Have Fear?

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Catholics should have appropriate fear. For example, we should have fear of the Lord. Fear of the Lord is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It is praised repeatedly in Holy Scripture...

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; prudent are all who live by it." (Ps. 111:10)

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; wisdom and instruction fools despise." (Prov. 1:7)

"The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Prov. 9:10)

"The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are brief." (Prov. 10:27)

"The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that a man may avoid the snares of death." (Prov. 14:27)

"The reward of humility and fear of the LORD is riches, honor and life." (Prov. 22:4)

"The root of wisdom is fear of the LORD; her branches are length of days." (Sirach 1:18)

"Unless you earnestly hold fast to the fear of the LORD, suddenly your house will be thrown down." (Sirach 27:3)

Etc.

St. Peter tells us to "fear God" (see 1 Pt. 2:17) and St. Paul instructs us to...

"...work out your salvation with fear and trembling." (Phil. 2:12)

As for other types of fear, these should be kept within reason since...

"What has a person to fear who lives in the arms and bosom of God?" (St. Paul of the Cross)

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"For I have learnt for a fact that nothing so effectively obtains, retains and regains grace, as that we should always be found not high-minded before God, but filled with holy fear." (St. Bernard, Doctor of the Church)

"The spirit of independence and of false liberty, which is nowadays so rife amongst us, is a great enemy to the fear of God; and one of the miseries of our age, is that there is little fear of God. Familiarity with God but too frequently usurps the place of that essential basis of the Christian life. The result is, that there is no progress in virtue, such people are a prey to illusion; and the sacraments, which previously worked so powerfully in their souls, are now well-nigh unproductive. The reason is, that the gift of fear has been superceded by a conceited self-complacency. Humility has no further sway; a secret and habitual pride has paralyzed the soul; and seeing that these people scout the very idea of their ever trembling before the great God of heaven, we may well ask them if they know who God is." (Dom Gueranger)

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