While I’ll probably never come around to wholly accepting it as it seems like ‘playing God’, I’m not going to immediately discount their testimony either and I will take comfort in the love that God seems to have for them - even if they are wrong.
The gift of tongues is NOT “playing God” - its communication with God thru a special prayer language. It’s a free flowing of the Spirit thru our voice.
Romans 8:26
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”
I think our difficulties with tongues lies in our own fears and doubts probably because we are not taught in our religious education formation not only what these gifts are but we are not taught how to earnestly seek these charismatic gifts. Our religious formation tends to focus just on the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit that we receive in Confirmation. The Holy Spirit is not going to give us these charismatic gifts if we do not want them. We have to ask for them and then we have to humble ourselves and be willing to open our mouths and let the Spirit flow thru our voice - We have to participate and allow the Holy Spirit to use our tongue and voice.
We each have our own prayer voice or language, each as unique as each one of us is unique.
Interesting quote from Cardinal Suenes book, A New Pentecost?, “Let us admit it: we are terribly complicated when it comes to giving outward expression to our deep religious feelings before God or in front of others. … . We have been ossified by formalism and ritualism. Our liturgical gatherings have only begun to awaken to the meaning of communal liturgy after centuries of passivity. But though a thaw has set in, we have yet to experience the warmth and enthusiasm that should characterize our liturgical celebrations in community.”
Grannymh, I believe you had mentioned in an earlier post or maybe it was in another thread on the gift of tongues about “yielding to the Holy Spirit”. I have come to realize that this is easier than we think - and probably because when, at least for me this happened, we try to pray in tongues we try and pray with our minds when the purpose of praying in tongues is not to use our minds but to pray with our hearts - allowing our faith and our trust in the Holy Spirit to allow this gift to formulate thru our voice - We need to let go no matter how silly we might think we might sound - Quite honestly, of all the times I have been prayed over by someone using this gift, it never sounds silly - but is really beautiful and the experience has always been positive, its like being wrapped in God’s warmth and love - His protection.
Also, since only God knows our hearts and this is a prayer of the heart, Satan cannot understand this direct communication with God which can be very powerful when we use this gift with intercessory prayer 1 Cor. 14:2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to human beings but to God, for no one listens; he utters mysteries in spirit.” The gift of tongues frustrates Satan’s plan. We must understand also that this gift is not superior to the most important gift which is the gift of love, but when we use this gift of tongues with love and in love, it is special indeed as St. Paul does say that he would like every one to speak in tongues but combined with the other gifts not in superiority of the other gifts.
Prayer is direct communication with God which deepens our relationship with God and tongues is just one aspect of prayer which can deepen our communication with God and therefore strengthen our relationship with Him.
*Of the Jubilus of the Heart by Jacopone da Todi
The Jubilus in fire awakes
And straight the man must sing and pray,
His tongue in childish stammering shakes,
Nor knows he what his lips may say;
He can not hide or quench away
That Sweet pure and infinite…
…And see? His neighbor stand apart,
And mock the senseless chatter;
They deem his speech a foolish blur,
A shadow of his spirit’s light.*