Two motivating forces are especially powerful: fear and love. Despite both being able to influence our choices, in the moral life they often lead us in vastly different directions.

A holy and true love can lead us to do heroic things for others or endure great crosses for God. By contrast, loving something more than God or loving the wrong things can be disastrous.

Likewise, having a healthy fear of that which is harmful or evil (like sin) can be beneficial, but fear can also stifle growth in virtue or inhibit charity toward a neighbor.

Loving the wrong things or not fearing the right things can cause serious moral problems. The question becomes, do I love what is good in God’s eyes and have a healthy fear of what is evil, or are my love and fear misplaced?

Christians are called to continually purify their moral motivations so that they eventually transcend fear altogether and rather are centered in that authentic and right ordered love of God and neighbor. Both Scripture and the Catechism teach this. In 1 John 4: 18, it says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.”

Quoting St. Basil from the 4th century, paragraph 1828 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “If we turn away from evil out of fear of punishment, we are in the position of slaves ... if we obey for the sake of the good itself and out of love from Him who commands … we are in the position of children.”

For most of us however, replacing fear with love as the main motivation for our moral choices can be a life-long task and a tremendous challenge. Left to ourselves, we would fail. But with God’s help, with prayer, with the grace of the sacraments, it becomes possible.

Growing our love of God to the point where it is greater than whatever fears we might struggle with, will be the path that allows us to find the freedom that only a God-centered love offers.

This seems especially important to keep in mind when confronting assisted suicide. Even well-meaning people can be tempted to support assisted suicide because of their fears. Although advocacy of assisted suicide often claims love or compassion as motivation, in reality it is largely driven by fear. As mentioned in a previous column, the most common reasons cited for choosing assisted suicide involve the fear of losing something (autonomy, enjoyment in life, dignity, etc.). In addition, fear of suffering, fear of becoming a burden, or even a fear of seeing someone else suffer are also powerful motivations.

Ironically, some of the more public faces of the movement are often hailed for their courage in choosing assisted suicide. But is courage or fear the real motivating factor? Which takes more courage, choosing to obey God’s commandment even when exceptionally difficult or choosing to take a medication and not wake up? Being willing to endure the cross, or avoid it at any cost?

For those who claim it is the more loving choice to end pain, one must ask: is it a love truly focused on God or is it a love more focused on one’s comfort, one’s life as previously lived, or being in control?

In our own struggle with fear and love, perhaps it is good to ask ourselves some questions: Which demonstrates deeper love and trust in God — taking matters into our own hands, or placing ourselves entirely in His? Which is a healthier fear to have — the fear of our cross, or the fear of transgressing God’s law and the consequence of doing so?

Even if love of God never fully possesses our motivations in this life, refusing to accept assisted suicide as a legitimate option is a sure sign that neither have they been entirely corrupted and co-opted by fear.