Eventually, the benefit IS to the community. As the person grows in openness to the Holy Spirit’s guidance, that person contributes to the community in whatever ways God intends. If we remember that all Good comes from God, it is easy to see what happens. In other words, for many, the gift of tongues is merely a step towards becoming God’s instrument in the world. It is not an end in itself.
They both spoke it out at the same time in unison.
Welcome, LLB!Folks,
I really wish I had someone who knew more on this subject. Back when I was a teenager living at home I was sleeping on the couch. I was on the couch because of a headach that I had been batteling for a few weeks. Anyway a close member of the family was expecting a child and the child was born. Now I heard the father of the child speaking to my Dad as I was waking up from sleep. I was on the couch and they were standing in the door to the kitchen. I remember thinking to myself, God bless that baby, Oh God bless the little one I am so happy Jesus please bless this new life. I woke up and sat up on the couch and quickly stood up. What I wanted to say were those words I had thought of just seconds before (above). What came out was something completely different. I started making a series of sounds and noises that made my father and the friend crack up laughing at me. It was frusterating because what I wanted to say was just praise about blessing the baby and all of these other sounds came pouring out. It lasted about 30 seconds. 30 seconds of what i can only describe as my mouth knowing exactly what it was doing and my mind being in shock at what my mouth was doing. I was thinking prayers for the baby and my mouth was making nosies that I never heard before that or since. I KNOW now that I was speaking in tounges. I know because my mouth was so certain of the noise and movements needed to make those noises. I have seen online the folks that claim to speak in tounges but they aren’t doing what my mouth did that night. I have never done it since but would love to experience it again as I am older and wouldn’t be as alarmed. If anyone knows if it can happen again or how to make it come back again I would appreciate it.
You were the one who was there, so I believe you.
It’s possible. At the time, I had no idea what “speaking in tongues” even meant.
jude,
ken,I don’t personally speak in tongues but I don’t mind it when others do. I think it’s carrying it too far to think it should be normative for every Catholic. Oswald Sobrino goes to that far-out extreme on his blog Catholic Analysis.
There are other spiritual gifts or charisms…administration is one (that I am lacking) and giving with liberality is another (with which I am blessed). I don’t know why tongues is such a big deal. Seems like administration and giving with liberality get more of the work of the Church done, for the benefit of everybody.
This was the theme of a CRHP (Christ Renews His Parish) weekend I attended.
Hi, LLB!I KNOW now that I was speaking in tounges. I know because my mouth was so certain of the noise and movements needed to make those noises. I have seen online the folks that claim to speak in tounges but they aren’t doing what my mouth did that night. I have never done it since but would love to experience it again as I am older and wouldn’t be as alarmed. If anyone knows if it can happen again or how to make it come back again I would appreciate it.
Hi, kentuckyliz!I don’t personally speak in tongues but I don’t mind it when others do. I think it’s carrying it too far to think it should be normative for every Catholic. Oswald Sobrino goes to that far-out extreme on his blog Catholic Analysis.
There are other spiritual gifts or charisms…administration is one (that I am lacking) and giving with liberality is another (with which I am blessed). I don’t know why tongues is such a big deal. Seems like administration and giving with liberality get more of the work of the Church done, for the benefit of everybody.
This is exactly the point, it should be for the benefit of the church, not the individual.I don’t know why tongues is such a big deal. Seems like administration and giving with liberality get more of the work of the Church done, for the benefit of everybody.
There are many varieties of tongues, so you cannot assume that, since your experience was different, it was not authentic. What you experienced is what is written about in the NT.Folks,
I really wish I had someone who knew more on this subject. Back when I was a teenager living at home I was sleeping on the couch. I was on the couch because of a headach that I had been batteling for a few weeks. Anyway a close member of the family was expecting a child and the child was born. Now I heard the father of the child speaking to my Dad as I was waking up from sleep. I was on the couch and they were standing in the door to the kitchen. I remember thinking to myself, God bless that baby, Oh God bless the little one I am so happy Jesus please bless this new life. I woke up and sat up on the couch and quickly stood up. What I wanted to say were those words I had thought of just seconds before (above). What came out was something completely different. I started making a series of sounds and noises that made my father and the friend crack up laughing at me. It was frusterating because what I wanted to say was just praise about blessing the baby and all of these other sounds came pouring out. It lasted about 30 seconds. 30 seconds of what i can only describe as my mouth knowing exactly what it was doing and my mind being in shock at what my mouth was doing. I was thinking prayers for the baby and my mouth was making nosies that I never heard before that or since. I KNOW now that I was speaking in tounges. I know because my mouth was so certain of the noise and movements needed to make those noises. I have seen online the folks that claim to speak in tounges but they aren’t doing what my mouth did that night. I have never done it since but would love to experience it again as I am older and wouldn’t be as alarmed. If anyone knows if it can happen again or how to make it come back again I would appreciate it.
This experience is not uncommon among the mystical saints. It emerges out of a deep place of prayer which is consciously reached through the practice of contemplation more common in the East. This is our natural state during sleep, where we access the deepest parts of the soul without the interferance of the waking mind. To nurture this, you could develop these meditative prayer practices so that your soul can return to that state of pure intercession you experienced just before and as you became fully awake.