The Holy Spirit and Gift of Tongues

[CHRISTINE77]

In the bible, Beginning at Acts 1, 8. (which is when Jesus assended to Heaven) EVERY SINGLE TIME after this when the bible says someone was filled with the Holy Spirit they spoke in tongues.

This does not mean every time the Holy Spirit entered someone like for a healing for example. But every time it says they were filled with the holy spirit, they spoke in tongues. There are actually more people who spoke in tongues mentioned than there were miracles mentioned. I can’t work out why most catholics treat it like the plague. Speaking in tongues is our own spirit praying the perfect prayer in a language the enemy can’ t understand.

Where do you get this, “every time they were filled with the Holy Spirit they spoke in tongues”? Can you give me a quote.

Also at Pentecost, the tongues that Jesus’ followers were speaking in were real foreign languages.

"Acts 2.5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,** 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

More often today, when people speak in tongues, it is just babble, not a real language.**

 

[grannymh]

Catholics don’t treat it like the plague!Catholics treat speaking in tongues with caution because someone cannot tell for sure if another person is speaking gibberish or actually speaking in tongues by the holy spirit if there is no 3rd person around to interprete.Even Paul cautioned about speaking in tongues without someone to inteprete.(i ve forgotten the verse…)well if you’re alone in your room and you start speaking in tongues then its fine for you.
Many people pretend they are speaking in tongues inorder to prove to others they ar are filled with the Holy spirit.(sorry for the poor grammar)

Thank you for bringing up caution. You may have noticed my own caution in post 38.

The are two entirely different uses for the Holy Spirit gift of Tongues. Unfortunately, the Scripture word “speaking” has two different meanings depending on the context, that is, how the word is being used.

Regarding the word gibberish.
It would be impolite, at the very least, to apply “gibberish” to a prayer going directly to God.

In addition, my dictionary (American Heritage College Dictionary, page 585) refers to gibberish as unintelligible or nonsensical talk. Surely, a Catholic would not seriously imply that God would consider any sincere prayer as unintelligible or nonsensical. Am I wrong?

I cannot speak for other people’s sources of information. Nevertheless, in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal within the Catholic Church, what is commonly known as prayer tongues often becomes part of an individual’s prayer life which begins with the greatest prayer to God, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Because the gift of prayer tongues requires a person to freely yield to the Holy Spirit, a very short prayer in tongues, can be used as the introduction to other forms of prayer, including meditation.

Personally, I do not consider it polite for Catholics to eavesdrop when I am receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confession is between God and myself in the same way that my personal prayer (tongues or whatever) is between God and myself. And the idea that my personal prayer to God is not acceptable because someone is not interpreting it.

Regarding St. Paul’s instructions in chapter 14, 1 Corinthians.
He is not referring to praying to God in tongues.
He is referring to the rare ministry of proclaiming God’s message in tongues to the assembled community.

In order not to misinterpret St. Paul’s admonishment to his beloved Corinthians, one must recognize the difference of praying, praising, thanking, seeking mercy, asking for help in a prayer directly to God** from** God, Himself, speaking to the assembled people via the gift of speaking in tongues, and the gift of interpreting the message in the vernacular, and the important Holy Spirit gift of discernment which determines the source of the message. These three rare ministry gifts in themselves require mature spirituality, serious prayer and preparation and serious discernment.

 

[grannymh]

"Acts 2.5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,** 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

**

Please note that various people have interpreted Acts 2: 5-11 in various ways.
I would like to offer the basic interpretation that Acts 2: 5-11 refers to a “miracle of hearing”. Verse 8: Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

As a “miracle of hearing”, this special gift of the Holy Spirit is not a part of either gift of praying in tongues to God or the other gift of giving God’s message to the assembly.
One can tell the difference because St. Paul requires an interpreter when someone is speaking God’s message in tongues. Obviously, not everyone in the group is able to understand God’s message. This is a tad different from “each of us hears them in our native language” in verse 8.

The fact that real foreign languages are involved is very interesting. Especially since I have read claims that the “miracle of hearing” is happening in modern times. However, when we are learning about the two different gifts which employ tongues, it is better to stick to St. Paul.

 

[sennincatholic]

Thank you for bringing up caution. You may have noticed my own caution in post 38.

The are two entirely different uses for the Holy Spirit gift of Tongues. Unfortunately, the Scripture word “speaking” has two different meanings depending on the context, that is, how the word is being used.

Regarding the word gibberish.
It would be impolite, at the very least, to apply “gibberish” to a prayer going directly to God.

In addition, my dictionary (American Heritage College Dictionary, page 585) refers to gibberish as unintelligible or nonsensical talk. Surely, a Catholic would not seriously imply that God would consider any sincere prayer as unintelligible or nonsensical. Am I wrong?

I cannot speak for other people’s sources of information. Nevertheless, in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal within the Catholic Church, what is commonly known as prayer tongues often becomes part of an individual’s prayer life which begins with the greatest prayer to God, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Because the gift of prayer tongues requires a person to freely yield to the Holy Spirit, a very short prayer in tongues, can be used as the introduction to other forms of prayer, including meditation.

Personally, I do not consider it polite for Catholics to eavesdrop when I am receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Confession is between God and myself in the same way that my personal prayer (tongues or whatever) is between God and myself. And the idea that my personal prayer to God is not acceptable because someone is not interpreting it.

Regarding St. Paul’s instructions in chapter 14, 1 Corinthians.
He is not referring to praying to God in tongues.
He is referring to the rare ministry of proclaiming God’s message in tongues to the assembled community.

In order not to misinterpret St. Paul’s admonishment to his beloved Corinthians, one must recognize the difference of praying, praising, thanking, seeking mercy, asking for help in a prayer directly to God** from** God, Himself, speaking to the assembled people via the gift of speaking in tongues, and the gift of interpreting the message in the vernacular, and the important Holy Spirit gift of discernment which determines the source of the message. These three rare ministry gifts in themselves require mature spirituality, serious prayer and preparation and serious discernment.

I understand you.When i spoke about “gibberish” i didnt mean speaking in tongues as a result of the Holy Spirit is gibberish.I meant some people could be pretending to be speaking in tongues when they are infact talking gibberish.
I also said if you are praying alone and it happens you start speaking in tongues as a result of the Holy spirit…then its fine with you.
I admire the catholic charismatic renewal very much so we are on thesame side.I just dont get it when some of these sects around pretend they are “speaking in tongues” and claim it should be mandatory for all christians.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Please note that various people have interpreted Acts 2: 5-11 in various ways.
I would like to offer the basic interpretation that Acts 2: 5-11 refers to a “miracle of hearing”. Verse 8: Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

As a “miracle of hearing”, this special gift of the Holy Spirit is not a part of either gift of praying in tongues to God or the other gift of giving God’s message to the assembly.
One can tell the difference because St. Paul requires an interpreter when someone is speaking God’s message in tongues. Obviously, not everyone in the group is able to understand God’s message. This is a tad different from “each of us hears them in our native language” in verse 8.

The fact that real foreign languages are involved is very interesting. Especially since I have read claims that the “miracle of hearing” is happening in modern times. However, when we are learning about the two different gifts which employ tongues, it is better to stick to St. Paul.

It seems straightforward to me: they were speaking in many different languages and people who spoke those languages could understand. I’m sure there is a connection to the Tower of Babel in this too. In that reading, all the languages were created and no one could understand anyone else. In Acts, all the languages were spoken and everyone could understand.

 

[grannymh]

More often today, when people speak in tongues, it is just babble, not a real language.

My apology. I really cannot reply to this statement. My source of knowledge comes from the Catholic Charismatic Renewal within the Catholic Church–which does not deal in “babble”.

Here is the link to a basic question and answer book, with the Nihil obstat and Imprimatur, which provides an in-depth study of the Holy Spirit gifts in chapters 12 and 14 of 1 Corinthians.
brendancase.com/uploads/Key_to_the_Charismatic_Renewal.pdf

Official website of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal
nsc-chariscenter.org/AboutCCR/

 

[Michael_Francis]

*Sticky: MORATORIUM: Charismatic Movement
i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/corona_stellarum/Smilies/23hofvljpg.gif
*