Gift of tongues

[feed_me]

How would I know if I have the gift of tongues? As in before you start speaking the jibb, does it feel like the same emotion that you get when you have to cry? like emotion sits on the back of the throat… I don’t know how it works, but can somebody who has the gift of tongues answer this for me?

 

[TheReYUI]

How would I know if I have the gift of tongues? As in before you start speaking the jibb, does it feel like the same emotion that you get when you have to cry? like emotion sits on the back of the throat… I don’t know how it works, but can somebody who has the gift of tongues answer this for me?

What is the gift of tongues??

 

[stlcatholic86]

What is the gift of tongues??

I imagine the OP is referring to St. Luke’s description in acts to the events that transpired during the feast of Pentecost. However, it’s my understand that it’s inappropriate to describe it as jibberish meaning that if your speaking nonsense, but you think it’s the Holy Spirit yet people only hear nonsense then really you’re just speaking nonsense.

 

[MariaG]

How would I know if I have the gift of tongues? As in before you start speaking the jibb, does it feel like the same emotion that you get when you have to cry? like emotion sits on the back of the throat… I don’t know how it works, but can somebody who has the gift of tongues answer this for me?

First, are you in a Catholic Charasmatic group? Or in some kind of interdenominational bible?

Second, scripture tells us if we should pray for any of these gifts it should be prophecy. Not tongues.

 

[feed_me]

First, are you in a Catholic Charasmatic group? Or in some kind of interdenominational bible?

Second, scripture tells us if we should pray for any of these gifts it should be prophecy. Not tongues.

Zero to both questions. I was asking about the gift of tongues and how you would, or what you would feel before you start speaking in languages.

imagine the OP is referring to St. Luke’s description in acts to the events that transpired during the feast of Pentecost. However, it’s my understand that it’s inappropriate to describe it as jibberish meaning that if your speaking nonsense, but you think it’s the Holy Spirit yet people only hear nonsense then really you’re just speaking nonsense

.

To everybody else it probably would be jibberish, but to the person that is speaking, it isn’t. If God is speaking then the people that are hearing would hear jibberish if its not ment to be understood by anybody but God.

 

[john78]

is it a stretch of the imagination to think that perhaps the " gift of tongues " could actually be the ability to speak different languages , IE, spanish, latin, french and english. ?

I am more interested to know if the word tongues could have been used at that point in time to mean language?

I don’t understand how anyone can honestly think speaking jibberish is actually a " gift ", let alone having a " gift to understand it ".

not only it is it supposedly a gift, but one given by the Holy Spirit who in turn only knows what is being said, so exactly how does that help anyone ? if only the Holy Spirit grants the gift and understands it ?

 

[stlcatholic86]

To everybody else it probably would be jibberish, but to the person that is speaking, it isn’t. If God is speaking then the people that are hearing would hear jibberish if its not ment to be understood by anybody but God.

Well for clarification that is the scripture that references the “gift of tongues.” In fact, it is the basis of a whole sect of Christianity called Pentecostalism, who have very strict moral beliefs and believe in the Holy Spirit manifesting itself through speaking tongues.

Incidentally this doesn’t seem to be the scriptural pretense for speaking tongues in fact the word in context seems more akin to language. In scripture it’s pretty clear that the holy spirt was manifesting itself so that everyone could understand the speaker even though there were many different people who spoke different languages. There is also written evidence that several saints could speak or were heard in languages that they were not trained in. Thus, it’s not God who is the recipient of he message, but rather the masses so if your speaking jibberish and people gear jibberish it’s jibberish. I am by no means a Catholic theologian so I would like other people to weigh in.

 

[DevotedChild]

First of all, there is two types of the gift of tongues. The more common and known one, especially among protestants, is that of the private speaking of tongues, in which we are inflamed with the Spirits presence and wish to speak but have no human words to describe what we want to say/feel in that what comes out of our mouths sounds like “jibberish” but is rather is a form of personal prayer.

The rarer form of speaking of tongues, which is extremely rare, is that which is described in the Bible and is described by stlcatholic86 as:

In scripture it’s pretty clear that the holy spirt was manifesting itself so that everyone could understand the speaker even though there were many different people who spoke different languages. There is also written evidence that several saints could speak or were heard in languages that they were not trained in.

Also, it is usually done where the person is in a country foreign to them and they are speaking the native language to the people without any knowledge of the actual language. It is almost always linked to the giving a Prophesy directly from God through the Holy Spirit.

I learned all this when I went on Spiritual Gifts Retreat for peer ministry at my church where we learned what our individual Spiritual Gifts might be and how we could use them in our ministry. Every one has at least one Spiritual Gift which is received by the Holy Spirit at Baptism.

I hope this helps.
God Bless!

 

[DavidFilmer]

This is what St. Paul says:

Pursue love, but strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts, above all that you may prophesy. 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. On the other hand, one who prophesies does speak to human beings, for their building up, encouragement, and solace. Whoever speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but whoever prophesies builds up the church.

Now I should like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be built up.

Now, brothers, if I should come to you speaking in tongues, what good will I do you if I do not speak to you by way of revelation, or knowledge, or prophecy, or instruction? … If you, because of speaking in tongues, do not utter intelligible speech, how will anyone know what is being said? For you will be talking to the air. Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray to be able to interpret.

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit is at prayer but my mind is unproductive.

So what is to be done? I will pray with the spirit, but I will also pray with the mind. I will sing praise with the spirit, but I will also sing praise with the mind. Otherwise, if you pronounce a blessing with the spirit, how shall one who holds the place of the uninstructed say the “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks very well, but the other is not built up.

I give thanks to God that I speak in tongues more than any of you, but in the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, so as to instruct others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Brothers, stop being childish in your thinking. In respect to evil be like infants, but in your thinking be mature.

It is written in the law:
“By people speaking strange tongues
and by the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
and even so they will not listen to me,
says the Lord.”

Thus, tongues are a sign not for those who believe but for unbelievers, whereas prophecy is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.

So if the whole church meets in one place and everyone speaks in tongues, and then uninstructed people or unbelievers should come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds? But if everyone is prophesying, and an unbeliever or uninstructed person should come in, he will be convinced by everyone and judged by everyone, and the secrets of his heart will be disclosed, and so he will fall down and worship God, declaring, “God is really in your midst.” [1Cor 14]

 

[ltwin]

How would I know if I have the gift of tongues? As in before you start speaking the jibb, does it feel like the same emotion that you get when you have to cry? like emotion sits on the back of the throat… I don’t know how it works, but can somebody who has the gift of tongues answer this for me?

A charismatic Catholic told me about a A Key to the Charismatic Renewal in the Catholic Church by MSGR. Vincent M. Walsh. It can be accessed online here. It has both a “nihil obstat” from a censor librorum and an “imprimatur” from a Catholic bishop, for whatever that is worth (I’m not sure what that means).

On page 34, this question and answer are given:

1. WHEN DOES A PERSON BEGIN TO PRAY IN TONGUES?

It can happen anytime. Sometimes a person prays in tongues even before attending a charismatic prayer community. Frequently, a person begins to pray in tongues during the course of instruction provided by the prayer community. Usually, the person begins to pray in tongues when he is prayed with by the community for the Baptism of the Spirit.

This gift usually is the first bestowed by the Holy Spirit and is the doorway to the other gifts.

Before that, it goes into an entire section on “the Baptism of the Spirit” and what that terms means for charismatic Catholics.

 

[ltwin]

is it a stretch of the imagination to think that perhaps the " gift of tongues " could actually be the ability to speak different languages , IE, spanish, latin, french and english. ?

No, it is not a stretch. However, Paul uses the word “tongue” or “language” in contexts that make it seem as if it is not normal speech. He writes, for example, “For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit” (1 Cor. 14:2). People do not understand tongues because in many cases it is not meant for people to understand; it is “speaking to God.”

I am more interested to know if the word tongues could have been used at that point in time to mean language?

“Tongues” is archaic English for “languages.” It is not the special word “tongues” that cause people to believe in speaking in tongues, but the context that the term “unknown languages” is used.

I don’t understand how anyone can honestly think speaking jibberish is actually a " gift ", let alone having a " gift to understand it ".

The belief is actually widespread, and there are convincing arguments that can be made.

not only it is it supposedly a gift, but one given by the Holy Spirit who in turn only knows what is being said, so exactly how does that help anyone ? if only the Holy Spirit grants the gift and understands it ?

It helps the individual who is praying, for one reason. Paul calls praying in unknown languages, “praying in the spirit.” He says, “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also” (1 Corinthians 14:14-15).

There is no form of prayer to God that is useless. Paul says that he will pray both with his spirit (unknown language) and with his mind (the intellect). When in public, such speech to God should be interpreted so that it can benefit the entire Church and not just the one speaking. That is the jist of 1 Corinthians 14.

 

[ltwin]

Thus, it’s not God who is the recipient of he message, but rather the masses

This seems to directly contradict 1 Corinthians 14:2, “For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.”

 

[po18guy]

Any gift of the Holy Spirit is a charism. We are called to accept our charisms with gratitude, since God in the Holy Spirit has willed to give them to us. Yet, in our age of instant ignorance and impeded education, there is oh so much misunderstanding and misperception of the gifts, which are many and varied. Tongues is one gift, but not all are intended to receive that gift. I have never uttered a single syllable in any type of tongue, whether foreign or prayer tongue. Many of the gifts are quiet, almost hidden, but their use is properly oriented toward the building up of the Church. From the catechism:

Charisms

799 Whether extraordinary or simple and humble, charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men, and to the needs of the world.

800 Charisms are to be accepted with gratitude by the person who receives them and by all members of the Church as well. They are a wonderfully rich grace for the apostolic vitality and for the holiness of the entire Body of Christ, provided they really are genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit and are used in full conformity with authentic promptings of this same Spirit, that is, in keeping with charity, the true measure of all charisms.253

801 It is in this sense that discernment of charisms is always necessary. No charism is exempt from being referred and submitted to the Church’s shepherds. "Their office [is] not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to what is good,"254 so that all the diverse and complementary charisms work together "for the common good."255

Clearly, someone swinging their coat and bowling over masses of people in an audience is pure staged drama, as this does in no way resemble the genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit. As well, the Holy Spirit always leads us to humble submission and unity, so against this standard, all claimed charisms must be tested.

As well, have a read of Matthew 25:14-30. Those “talents” that Jesus spoke of may be likened to the charisms that we received at our baptism/confirmation. We are called to know what our charism(s) is, and to use that charism for the building up of the Church. The Master, upon His return, will ask to see what we did with the gift (charism) that He gave us. We DO NOT want to simply hand it back with no incerease.

 

[Michael_Francis]

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