I was prayed over in tongues

[LoverofChrist]

Last night at our LOTW retreat I was prayed over in tongues. One of the men had me and another gentleman stand in front of the statue of Mary and a total of 1 man and 2 women began to pray over us. It started in English and then I was no longer able to understand the words. After the man had been praying in tongues for a while he spoke in English and I am assuming he was translating what he had been saying. It was a beautiful message from Mary. He then finished in the words that I could not understand. I walked away wondering if it was real. I had only met this man over the weekend but I know the 2 women very well. Both women are very spiritual and the man seems to be also. I can not believe that they would try to fool anyone by doing that and yet I felt like it wasn’t real. I thought about it a great deal of the night and this morning I am thinking that I am the problem and that I am not believing like I should and that I am in need of tearing down some walls. My questions are, was what happened last night real? If it was real, how do I believe? How do I reach the place in myself that allows me to believe? Thanks for any help on this one! God Bless:blush:

 

[lizaanne]

What is LOTW?

~Liza

 

[water]

This topic is kinda “hot” here. If you search “tongue”, you probably get many threads discussing about it.

I have been to a retreat like this before, and I was doubting as well. however, I know for sure that my life has been changed for the better since the retreat, and I have seen lots of good fruits from other people.

I would suggest that, from my personal point of view, pray more, go to daily mass, frequent confession, Eucharistic Adoration, rosary, Divine Mercy, charity, and allow the Holy Spirit guide you, etc … these will help your spiritual journey a lot.

Those were the things that I had ignored doing in the past, and now I have found them the most blessed gifts/graces that God has given us.

PS: don’t forget to study Bible.

 

[Michael_Howard]

Last night at our LOTW retreat I was prayed over in tongues. One of the men had me and another gentleman stand in front of the statue of Mary and a total of 1 man and 2 women began to pray over us. It started in English and then I was no longer able to understand the words. After the man had been praying in tongues for a while he spoke in English and I am assuming he was translating what he had been saying. It was a beautiful message from Mary. He then finished in the words that I could not understand. I walked away wondering if it was real. I had only met this man over the weekend but I know the 2 women very well. Both women are very spiritual and the man seems to be also. I can not believe that they would try to fool anyone by doing that and yet I felt like it wasn’t real. I thought about it a great deal of the night and this morning I am thinking that I am the problem and that I am not believing like I should and that I am in need of tearing down some walls. My questions are, was what happened last night real? If it was real, how do I believe? How do I reach the place in myself that allows me to believe? Thanks for any help on this one! God Bless:blush:

I’m a firm believer in the gift of tongues and use the gift and have been prayed over with the gift. I have seen incredible blessings as well as extreme abuses. I would suggest this: make sure there is nothing in the message that contradicts scripture or the teaching of the church. if it errs in even the smallest way from the teachings of the church or scripture it’s false.

Also, consider if what was said has any relevence to your life and what God has shown you thus far. In my opinion a message that is way out in left field and makes absolutely no sense in pertaining to your life is questionable.

Is the message from Mary consistant with what we know of her charactor from approved apparitions or does it seem foreign to what shes has revealed about her self? And most importantly does it move you closer to Jesus Christ, him humility, meekness and love or does it puff your mind up w/ spiritual pride?

God never gives us messages that inflate our pride and ego in my opinion. Just things to think about when being prayed over. God bless!

 

[water]

God never gives us messages that inflate our pride and ego in my opinion. Just things to think about when being prayed over. God bless!

From the group where I had gone to, they asked me not to think or even to pray anything when being prayed over. This is one of few things that still confuses me until this day.

 

[Michael_Howard]

From the group where I had gone to, they asked me not to think or even to pray anything when being prayed over. This is one of few things that still confuses me until this day.

That’s a red flag in my opinion…

 

[threej_lc]

That’s a red flag in my opinion…

Why’s that? Contemplation, the prayer of quiet, the cloud of unknowing, the encounter with the no-thing, has been central to Catholic prayer for the history of the Church. That is the exact advice given by John of th Cross, Theresa of Avila, Francis of Assisi, Louis de Montford, and others. When God is blessing us, the best thing we can do is to quietly accept it and trust in His will for us, rather than interuppting Him with our own human thoughts.

Josh

 

[Michael_Howard]

Why’s that? Contemplation, the prayer of quiet, the cloud of unknowing, the encounter with the no-thing, has been central to Catholic prayer for the history of the Church. That is the exact advice given by John of th Cross, Theresa of Avila, Francis of Assisi, Louis de Montford, and others. When God is blessing us, the best thing we can do is to quietly accept it and trust in His will for us, rather than interuppting Him with our own human thoughts.

Josh

I do not think contemplation means shutting your mind down. I use to practice this type of thing with a New Age guru. Zen Buddhism requires the same to reach nirvana, a complete shutting off of the mind.

I practice interior prayer which is different, it’s a continual contemplative prayer to Jesus or an internal Rosary of Divine Mercy Chaplet. I do not remember the saints speaking of encountering the no-thing? I know they often spoke of conversing with Jesus in the quiet, in the deep recesses of their soul, if I’m wrong please show me where they talk about encountering the “no-thing” and I’ll study it myself.

Next, I use to be a part of protestant pentacostal and charasmatic minstres, they often tell their victims (what I like to call them) that if they think too much they will ruin the annointing, so pretty soon folks start clucking, oinking, mooing, making moneky sounds, it’s just beautiful!

That’s what shutting down your God given discerment can do. Always be in prayer when someone lays hands on you and begins to pray in a so called tongue, it could be God or the devil.

 

[water]

I do not think contemplation means shutting your mind down.

I don’t believe that either. Even if when I am in silence, I don’t just clear my mind …or “empty your mind”. My mind is focusing on God. I don’t know how I could do with “emptying” everything.

So, I was told not to pray …when I was praying Hail Mary. I was told to pray in tongue when I was praying the Rosary. Things like this kinda turn me off. So, I haven’t been back to that group.

 

[Michael_Howard]

I don’t believe that either. Even if when I am in silence, I don’t just clear my mind …or “empty your mind”. My mind is focusing on God. I don’t know how I could do with “emptying” everything.

So, I was told not to pray …when I was praying Hail Mary. I was told to pray in tongue when I was praying the Rosary. Things like this kinda turn me off. So, I haven’t been back to that group.

Yes, that’s the way it should be, keeping the lines of communication open with Jesus. I speak in tongues but it’s very quiet and for worship purposes, I’m always thinking about Jesus and Mary, I never shut down those lines of communication

 

[carol_marie]

What is LOTW?

~Liza

Just a guess … it is Light of the World Retreat?

Personally I would not allow anyone to pray over me in tongues. I’ve been in enough Protestant prayer groups & church services where that was done to last me a lifetime. It creeped me out then and - it would creep me out now.

Besides, not only is it supposed to be an actual language and not just jibberish, I thought someone else was supposed to interpret?

 

[Michael_Howard]

Just a guess … it is Light of the World Retreat?

Personally I would not allow anyone to pray over me in tongues. I’ve been in enough Protestant prayer groups & church services where that was done to last me a lifetime. It creeped me out then and - it would creep me out now.

Besides, not only is it supposed to be an actual language and not just jibberish, I thought someone else was supposed to interpret?

Agree and disagree. I am at a point now where I really do not want folks laying hands on me and speaking in tongues, nothing in my opinion matches the power and fulfillment of interior prayer. As far as tongues go, there are definately two types: a language and a tongue that the mind does not discern only the Spirit. One of the great doctors of the church who spoke in tongues described it as “sounding like gibbersih”. Now, this tongue is bewteen you and God, to build up your spirit and it’s not for the Mass. I use it quietly to worship and I use it quietly for warfare, but always quietly.

 

[carol_marie]

Agree and disagree. I am at a point now where I really do not want folks laying hands on me and speaking in tongues, nothing in my opinion matches the power and fulfillment of interior prayer. As far as tongues go, there are definately two types: a language and a tongue that the mind does not discern only the Spirit. One of the great doctors of the church who spoke in tongues described it as “sounding like gibbersih”. Now, this tongue is bewteen you and God, to build up your spirit and it’s not for the Mass. I use it quietly to worship and I use it quietly for warfare, but always quietly.

interesting. I guess this falls under the catagory of don’t knock it till you’ve tried it?

I will take your word for it as I’ve never experienced this sort of prayer before. I do like the way you speak of warfare - now THAT I know is real. Keep up the good fight.

 

[Michael_Howard]

interesting. I guess this falls under the catagory of don’t knock it till you’ve tried it?

I will take your word for it as I’ve never experienced this sort of prayer before. I do like the way you speak of warfare - now THAT I know is real. Keep up the good fight.

Tongues is great but there are more important gifts Carol. I think the gift for our time iand the end times is understanding and promoting the power of Gods mercy. Jesus speaks to Faustina about the power of His mercy, the devil will always fail when it comes to mercy, it has complete power and dominion over him.

Interior prayer is so very important and powerful as well, a garden in our hearts that Jesus can always dwell in. He tells Faustina when he enters into the soul (explaining the Eucharist) when there is mortal sin residing Jesus says it’s like entering into a dark prison of tortures, he’s tortured anew. But Jesus desires to dwell intimately in a pure childlike heart that has complete trust in him. I felt like my heart was going to explode when i read this!

Tongues is powerful, but spreading the mercy of Jesus is the gift for our age, He says to do it because soon He’ll come as judge. Sorry, I cannot help but speak of this lately and it seems to creep into every thread

 

[Linda_Marie]

So, I was told not to pray …when I was praying Hail Mary. I was told to pray in tongue when I was praying the Rosary. Things like this kinda turn me off. So, I haven’t been back to that group.

This would be the red flag to me - being told not to pray the Hail Mary or the Rosary.

I pray in tongues and belong to a charismatic prayer group and we have no difficulty in praying the official prayers of the Church. Indeed, we encourage all forms of prayer. The whole point is to be closer to God.

There are many ways to pray. We can pray the LOTH, we can pray the Rosary, we can spend time in Adoration in silence, we can pray the written prayers of the Saints, we can pray scripture, we can pray in our own words, we can pray in tongues. All are good because we are spending time in prayer. None is ‘better’ than another and we should use the one(s) which help us get closer to God.

Here is a booklet which might help:
Prayer and Temperament: Different Prayer Forms for Different Personality Types (Paperback)

amazon.com/Prayer-Temperament-Different-Forms-Personality/dp/0940136015

If you have a problem with Tongues - fine, it is not necessary. Indeed your difficulty with it will impede your praying so it would be better (for you) not to be part of that group.

Praying in tongues is really a step out in faith and trust because for the most part - you don’t know what you are praying about. You might get a vague idea (or at least this is all I get), if you do not have the gift of Interpretation of Tongues. But I believe that it is the Spirit praying in me for something that really needs praying about. It doesn’t matter that I can’t understand. God understands.

LoverofChrist, what you describe sounds more like what is called ‘Prophetic Tongues’. In this case, prophecy means messages from God which build up His Church, not predictions of the future. However, I have never heard of Mary inspiring Prophetic Tongues and sending messages this way. Tongues are from the Holy Spirit so I would hesitate to join these people.

How do you reach the place in yourself that allows you to believe? - Spend time in Adoration, reading Scripture, contemplative prayer, talk it over with your priest/confessor, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Trust that He will lead you where you need to be.

 

[threej_lc]

I do not think contemplation means shutting your mind down. I use to practice this type of thing with a New Age guru. Zen Buddhism requires the same to reach nirvana, a complete shutting off of the mind.

I would agree. I didn’t intend to say that the mind should be entirely devoid of thought, which as you point out, would be an Eastern practice, not Christian. I was simply trying to say that perhaps what the prayer group was saying is that a silent, passive prayer would be more appropriate then an active discursive prayer.

As for no-thing, its more a John of the Cross term. Check out his diagram explaining Ascent of Mt. Carmel.
icspublications.org/images/Drawings1.html

Josh

 

[Mijoy2]

Praying in tongues is really a step out in faith and trust because for the most part - you don’t know what you are praying about. You might get a vague idea (or at least this is all I get), if you do not have the gift of Interpretation of Tongues. But I believe that it is the Spirit praying in me for something that really needs praying about. It doesn’t matter that I can’t understand. God understands.

.

I have such a difficult time with this concept. I’ve never witnessed it nor can I imagine what the experience is like.

Does one not have control of the syllables exiting ones mouth or is one participating? In other words is it somewhat involuntary, or is it speaking what comes to mind in a rapid manner where the words or noises do not conform to english (for english speaking people). Is it trancelike?

My only experience is a tape I have heard on the Bible Answer Man broadcast of (I believe) Kenneth Copeland having a conversation in tongues with some other protastant preacher. To be perfectly honest it sounded as though these men were almost delibrately putting on a show. They were laughing and conversing in a ridiculous manner.

Genuine question I am trying to understand.

 

[threej_lc]

Does one not have control of the syllables exiting ones mouth or is one participating? In other words is it somewhat involuntary, or is it speaking what comes to mind in a rapid manner where the words or noises do not conform to english (for english speaking people). Is it trancelike?

Its a lot like reciting a rosary, actually. You’re in full control of what you’re saying, but you don’t have to consciously think about it. Your mouth just naturally knows what comes next. No trance, fully voluntary. At least that’s been my experience. Hope that helps.

My only experience is a tape I have heard on the Bible Answer Man broadcast of (I believe) Kenneth Copeland having a conversation in tongues with some other protastant preacher. To be perfectly honest it sounded as though these men were almost delibrately putting on a show. They were laughing and conversing in a ridiculous manner.

Sounds like a show to me too. Tongues is more a private form of prayer, not something you show off to the audio-tape world. I’d have reservations on whether it was authentic.

Josh

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Back in 1976, when I was involved in the Charismatic movement, Fr. Ralph Di’orio, was just begining his healing ministry in my city.

Charismatic prayer groups were all over the general area. Our group prayed over people as well as others, but then Fr. Di’orio, told us to stop. Apparently there were some very bad things that had happened at a few of the prayer groups. Some people who were prayed over, began to exhibit phenomenon that was weird and the leaders of the group didn’t know how to handle it.

Anyway, there was bad theology involved and Fr. Ralph said to stop so we did.

Jim

 

[CathMass]

I have been prayed over a number of times in tongues. On some occassions, the Blessed Sacrament was exposed and on others there was a relic of the True Cross involved. Blessed oil was used at many of these pray over sessions.
Personally, I have no problem with individual praying over however, one should be carefully picking which Charismatic group in totally in line with the church. I tend to choose more Eucharistic and Marian Charismatic types rather than the near Pentecostal types which don’t acknowledge Mary.