Catholic Candle note: The article below is part twenty-first part of the study of the temperaments, starting with the Choleric temperament. Here are links to the first twenty parts:

1. Part I: Beginning our Study of the Choleric Temperament: https://catholiccandle.org/2024/08/27/lesson-35-about-the-temperaments-the-choleric-temperament/
   

2. Part II: A general overview of the weaknesses of the Choleric Temperament: https://catholiccandle.org/2024/09/26/lesson-37-about-the-temperaments-continuation-of-the-choleric-temperament/
   

3. Part III: A consideration of the pride of the Choleric Temperament: https://catholiccandle.org/2024/10/24/lesson-38-temperaments-choleric-temperament-their-spiritual-combat/
   

4. Part IV: A general discussion of anger as a passion – in order to establish a foundation for studying anger in the Choleric Temperament: https://catholiccandle.org/2024/11/26/lesson-39-temperaments-choleric-temperament-their-spiritual-combat-part-iv/
   

5. Part V: Concerning the motivations for anger: https://catholiccandle.org/2024/12/30/lesson-40-temperaments-choleric-temperament-their-spiritual-combat-part-v/
   

6. Part VI: Concerning what anger does to the body: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/01/27/lesson-41-temperaments-choleric-temperament-a-cholerics-spiritual-combat-part-vi/
   

7. Part VII: Explaining when anger is sinful: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/02/21/lesson-42-temperaments-choleric-temperament-a-cholerics-spiritual-combat-part-vii/
   

8. Part VIII: Explaining how being slighted provokes anger: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/03/27/lesson-42-temperaments-choleric-temperament-a-cholerics-spiritual-combat-part-viii/
   

9. Part IX: Explaining how anger turns into the sin of holding a grudge: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/04/23/lesson-44-temperaments-choleric-temperament-a-cholerics-spiritual-combat-part-ix/
   

10. Part X: Recommendations to help cholerics to overcome pride: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/05/20/lesson-45-temperaments-choleric-temperament-a-cholerics-spiritual-combat-part-x/
    

11. Part XI: Explaining how a person sins by not using his reason: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/06/28/lesson-46-temperaments-choleric-temperament-a-cholerics-spiritual-combat-part-xi/
    

12. Part XII: Explaining some reasons why a choleric does not use his reason properly: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/07/24/lesson-47-temperaments-choleric-temperament-a-cholerics-spiritual-combat-part-xii/
    

13. Part XIII: Explaining why the choleric fears to use his reason well: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/08/29/lesson-48-temperaments-choleric-temperament-a-cholerics-spiritual-combat-part-xiii/
    

14. Part XIV: Explaining generally how Satan targets our fallen and weakened intellects: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/09/24/lesson-49-temperaments-choleric-temperament-the-cholerics-spiritual-combat-part-xiv/

15. Part XV: Explaining the passions in general, to lay the foundation for our consideration of the passion of fear: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/10/26/3050/

16. Part XVI: Explaining fear as a passion: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/11/25/lesson-51-temperaments-choleric-temperament-the-cholerics-spiritual-combat-part-xvi/

17. Part XVII: Explaining how fear works in the soul and influences all of the temperaments: https://catholiccandle.org/2025/12/29/lesson-52-temperaments-choleric-temperament-the-cholerics-spiritual-combat-part-xvii/

18. Part XVIII: Explaining how pain and death are objects of fear for persons of any temperament: https://catholiccandle.org/2026/01/26/lesson-53-temperaments-choleric-temperament-pain-and-death-are-objects-of-fearf-any-temperament/

19. Part XIX: Explaining in what way sin is an object of fear for all temperaments: https://catholiccandle.org/2026/02/26/lesson-54-temperaments-choleric-temperament-whether-sin-is-an-object-of-fear-for-all-temperaments/
    

20. Part XX: Explaining the causes of fear – applying to all temperaments: https://catholiccandle.org/2026/03/31/marys-school-of-sanctity-3/

Mary’s School of Sanctity

Lesson #56 About the Temperaments – Part XXI – Explaining the Effects of Fear in All Temperaments

Earlier, when we considered the passions in general, we noted that the passions cause transmutations (physical changes) in the body. Because one of these passions is fear, St. Thomas Aquinas, greatest doctor of the Church, addresses the physical changes which occur in those who are afraid.

Let us now examine how he explains the effects of fear on our bodies. This will help us to see the benefit of understanding our fallen human nature and how our body and soul work together in a very intricate and complete manner.

We know from our catechism that we humans are composed of body and soul. However, we do not ponder as much as we should the fact that the union of our body and soul is so complete that nothing happens in the one which does not affect the other. Below, we will consider further the soul’s manifold influences on the function of the body.

But, correspondingly, our frail and delicate human body influences our soul. Both soul and body suffer the wounds of original sin. The soul suffers four wounds, namely, the darkening of the intellect, the weakening of the will, the unruliness of the passions, and malice (i.e., the inclination to evil). The body suffers sickness, fatigue, aging, and, of course, death.

For example, when we suffer a bodily ailment, such as a headache, our intellect has difficulty focusing on our mental work. And when we have a spiritual problem, our body partakes of suffering in the form of stress pain which could include any number of things, for instance, muscle cramps, headaches, nausea etc.

St. Thomas Addresses Some Very Interesting Effects of Fear

St. Thomas tells us that there are two movements which occur in someone when he is afraid:

1. The movement in the appetitive power which is in the soul itself; and
   

2. The physical change which occurs in the body.

Both of these movements are mutually proportionate; and consequently the physical change resembles the very nature of the appetitive movement.

However, as to the appetitive movement of the soul, fear implies a certain contraction or inward withdrawal. The reason for this inward withdrawal is that fear arises from imagining some threatening evil which is difficult to repel. Now a thing is difficult to repel because the person lacks the power to repel it. Consequently, the weaker the person’s power is, the more he withdraws inwardly.¹

On the physical level, there is a change in the body which corresponds to this fear arising in the soul.

In other words, St. Thomas is telling us that because we are composed of body and soul, fear affects us in both of our parts. There are the spiritual effects and there are bodily effects. Let us first consider the bodily effects and then come back to the spiritual effects.

Bodily effects –an Inward Contraction and Trembling

Let’s take a moment to review the definition of passion in order to better understand what happens in the soul and body when one is afraid.

We explained in a previous lesson that a passion is:

a movement of the sensitive appetite when we imagine good or evil. In other words, passion is a movement of the irrational [part of the] soul, when we think of good or evil.²

St. Thomas tells us that fear moves the irrational part of the soul to an inward contraction of bodily heat³ which further causes one to tremble.

St. Thomas gives two analogies which help us to understand the concept of this inward contraction:

We observe in one who is dying that nature withdraws inwardly on account of the lack of power; and again we see the inhabitants of a city, when seized with fear, leave the outskirts and as far as possible, move to the inner quarters of the city. It is in resemblance to this contraction, which pertains to the appetite of the soul, that in fear, a similar contraction of heat and vital spirits towards the inner parts takes place in regard to the body. ⁴

Here is how St. Thomas explains the physical trembling which is caused by fear:

In fear there takes place a certain contraction from the outward to the inner parts of the body, the result being that the outer parts become cold; and for this reason trembling is occasioned in these parts, being caused by a lack of power in controlling the members, which lack of power is due to the want of heat, which is an instrument whereby the soul moves those members, as stated in De Anima, Bk. 2; ch.4, #416b29.⁵

St. Thomas adds:

In fear, heat abandons the heart, with a downward movement: hence in those who are afraid the heart especially trembles, as also those members which are connected with the breast where the heart resides. Hence those who fear tremble especially in their speech, on account of the tracheal artery being near the heart.

The lower lip, too, and the lower jaw tremble, through their connection with the heart; which explains the chattering of the teeth. For the same reason the arms and hands tremble. Or else because the aforesaid members are more mobile and for this reason the knees tremble in those who are afraid, according to Isa. 35:3: Strengthen ye the feeble hands, and confirm the trembling [Vulg.: ‘weak’] knees.⁶

St. Thomas explains that this difficulty which a fearful person has in his speech can render the person speechless. ⁷

A further result is when a person is mortally afraid, he will even turn pale. Here are St. Thomas’s words concerning this aspect:

Mortal perils are contrary not only to the appetite of the soul, but also to nature. Consequently in such like fear, there is contraction not only in the appetite, but also in the corporeal nature: for when an animal is moved by the imagination of death, it experiences a contraction of heat towards the inner parts of the body, as though it were threatened by a natural death. Hence it is that those who are in fear of death turn pale (Ethic. Bk.4, ch. 9, #1128b13).⁸

The Two Spiritual Effects of Fear

Fear causes two spiritual effects in a man:

1. It makes him more willing to take counsel – but less able to give good counsel; and
   

2. It hinders him from performing good actions under some conditions.

Below, we will consider each of these spiritual effects of fear.

1. Fear Makes a Man More Willing to Take Counsel But Less Able to Give Good Counsel

A man can be said to be a “man of counsel” in two ways:

1. From his being willing or anxious to take counsel; and
   

2. As a man who is well-suited for giving good counsel.

In the first way, St. Thomas tells us that fear makes men more willing to take counsel. Here are his words:

Because, as the Philosopher says (Ethic. Bk. 3, ch.3 #1112b10), “we take counsel on great matters, because therein we distrust ourselves.” However, things which make us afraid, are not simply evil, but have a certain magnitude, both because they seem difficult to repel, and because they are apprehended as near to us, as stated above (Q.42, a.2). Wherefore men seek for counsel especially when they are afraid.⁹

In the second way, St. Thomas tells us that fear (or any other passion) does not make a man apt for giving good counsel. He explains as follows:

Because when a man is affected by a passion, things seem to him greater or smaller than they really are: thus to a lover, what he loves seems better; to him who fears, what he fears seems more dreadful. Consequently, owing to the lack of right judgment, every passion considered in itself, hinders the faculty of giving good counsel.¹⁰

2. Fear Hinders a Man From Doing Good Actions Under Some Circumstances

As set forth above, the second spiritual effect of fear is that it hinders a man from performing good actions.

St. Thomas quotes St. Paul’s famous words, “With fear and trembling work out your salvation,” and tells us plainly that St. Paul would not say this if fear were a hindrance to a good work. Therefore fear does not hinder a good action.

Here are St. Thomas’s words:

Man’s exterior actions are caused by the soul as first mover, but by the bodily members as instruments. However, action may be hindered both by defect of the instrument, and by defect of the principal mover. On the part of the bodily instruments, fear, considered in itself, is always apt to hinder exterior action, on account of the outward members being deprived, through fear, of their heat. But on the part of the soul, if the fear be moderate, without much disturbance of the reason, it conduces [i.e., contributes] to reason working well, in so far as it causes a certain solicitude and makes a man take counsel and work with greater attention. If, however, fear increases so much as to disturb the reason, it hinders action even on the part of the soul. But of such a fear the Apostle does not speak.¹¹

St. Thomas’s comment here about St. Paul’s words is very crucial for our understanding of fear. It is important to note well that our will is supposed to moderate our passions. St. Paul is obviously speaking of having a healthy Fear of the Lord. We must fear displeasing Our Lord most importantly because He is All-Good. We use Fear of the Lord which is one of the seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost, to help us work out our salvation. The context of St. Paul’s words show that it is to this that he refers.

A fear being moderate and not paralyzing is the main reason why St. Thomas says that fear does not hinder action (but makes a person more solicitous). But someone could respond that since laziness and sloth are kinds of fear (regarding physical work and spiritual work respectively), they are examples of fear hindering good action. St. Thomas grants that objection regarding laziness, in the following words:

Everyone in fear shuns that which he fears: and therefore, since laziness is a fear of work itself as being toilsome, it hinders work by withdrawing the will from it. But fear of other things conduces to action, in so far as it inclines the will to do that whereby a man escapes from what he fears.¹²

Now that we have finished looking into the effects of fear in both the spiritual realm and the body, we can turn our attention to the proper use of the passion of fear.

How Can We Use the Passion of Fear As We Ought?

There are two key aspects to consider about fear. We must consider its cause, namely, what we love, and the role that our imagination plays in the passion of fear.

In our last lesson we discussed how love is the cause of fear.¹³ We said that we either fear that we will not obtain the object of our desire or that we will lose an object that we love. We stated how we must be cautious about what we decide to love and make sure our loves are pleasing to God and conform to right reason.

In our current lesson we paraphrased St. Thomas’s words about the appetitive movement of the soul:

However, as to the appetitive movement of the soul, fear implies a certain contraction or inward withdrawal. The reason for this inward withdrawal is that fear arises from the imagination of some threatening evil which is difficult to repel.¹⁴

Here we see again the important role that our imagination plays in our passion of fear. Above, St. Thomas teaches the importance of our fear being moderate. This means our fear must be reasonable and not uncontrolled. We are ultimately responsible for our use of our will because sin is an inordinate use of our God-given faculties. In other words, we are obliged to control ourselves.

A Preview…

In our next lesson we will take a deeper look into these two aspects (viz., love and imagination) to make sure our loves are orderly and that we use our imagination carefully and according to reason. In this deeper look at these two aspects, we will see how the devil lays snares for persons of every temperament.