The Importance of Emotion vs. Intellect in One's Spirituality

[CristoEnMi]

This question comes to my mind as last night my wife and I (Catholics) and her parents (Evangelicals) prayed for my brother. My mother-in-law laid hands on him and prayed for him, at times in “tongues.” He was very “touched” and afterward he explained how he had felt God. This doesn’t come as a surprise to me as my in-laws talk about God’s presence and feelings all the time.

But I don’t get how this “feeling” is a benefit if you go back to your old behavior the next day. To me it would seem that after actually feeling God’s presence you would be, in essence, born again. I guess I sometimes doubt what is truly God acting and what is in people’s minds. When you truly know something and believe it I think it’s more than just emotion.

My brother who is not Catholic, but was baptized Mormon, and has participated in various other Christian denominations says that Mass is boring and that he wants to “feel” it. I explained to him that for me personally I don’t fall into that “emotional” category, but when I go to Mass I am spiritually and emotionally stimulated. But the emotions are not the same kinds of emotion that he and my in-laws talk about. I’ve been to their Church and they believe the pastor is “anointed” and he does altar calls during the service. When the people come up to the front he prays breifly for them, then touches them and they fall down. I’ve been, I don’t fall. Their response is that unless your heart is open than you won’t feel it. I mean this guy will blow on them and they fall down and say that the spirit has touched them. I don’t want to say I don’t believe them, but this is something I haven’t learned much of from the Church or the Bible.

I’m just wondering what is the Churches teaching on this kind of thing? I don’t really know many Catholics who do this kind of prayer. I have been to a charismatic prayer group who does similar things (laying on of hands, speaking tongues, etc), but it seems to me it’s kinda frowned upon in Catholic circles. I just wanted to get some other people’s (name removed by moderator)ut on this.

 

[Sufjon]

This question comes to my mind as last night my wife and I (Catholics) and her parents (Evangelicals) prayed for my brother. My mother-in-law laid hands on him and prayed for him, at times in “tongues.” He was very “touched” and afterward he explained how he had felt God. This doesn’t come as a surprise to me as my in-laws talk about God’s presence and feelings all the time.

But I don’t get how this “feeling” is a benefit if you go back to your old behavior the next day. To me it would seem that after actually feeling God’s presence you would be, in essence, born again. I guess I sometimes doubt what is truly God acting and what is in people’s minds. When you truly know something and believe it I think it’s more than just emotion.

My brother who is not Catholic, but was baptized Mormon, and has participated in various other Christian denominations says that Mass is boring and that he wants to “feel” it. I explained to him that for me personally I don’t fall into that “emotional” category, but when I go to Mass I am spiritually and emotionally stimulated. But the emotions are not the same kinds of emotion that he and my in-laws talk about. I’ve been to their Church and they believe the pastor is “anointed” and he does altar calls during the service. When the people come up to the front he prays breifly for them, then touches them and they fall down. I’ve been, I don’t fall. Their response is that unless your heart is open than you won’t feel it. I mean this guy will blow on them and they fall down and say that the spirit has touched them. I don’t want to say I don’t believe them, but this is something I haven’t learned much of from the Church or the Bible.

I’m just wondering what is the Churches teaching on this kind of thing? I don’t really know many Catholics who do this kind of prayer. I have been to a charismatic prayer group who does similar things (laying on of hands, speaking tongues, etc), but it seems to me it’s kinda frowned upon in Catholic circles. I just wanted to get some other people’s (name removed by moderator)ut on this.

Dear CristoEnMi: That is an open minded and very self searching question, and I think it shows that you are more interested in spirituality than the divisions that can exist among people. You had mentioned that you wondered how people could have these wonderful feelings and go back to their old selves the next day. I think that is the human condition. Without lows there are no highs. In this world I doubt if anything can remain static. The point is that perhaps these experiences that these people have change them slowly but in small profound ways over time. A little at a time. Perhaps that is the benefit you are wondering about. I am not a Christian, so I cannot say if the Catholic Church or any other looks down on such forms of worship.

You had also mentioned that the joy that overtakes these people doesn’t overtake you. Perhaps you are getting glimpses of God’s joy on other ways that you don’t expect. I think each has their own means of expression of what is within them. I had a Catholic friend who was dying two years ago this month. Like you, she said she had never felt anything special at church, but all her life she had been devoted to the rosary. I nun had once been kind enough to teach the rosary to me, and from time to time I say it. Anyway, my friend became so ill that she could no longer say her rosary. I said them for her. Not as often as I should have, but I made a stab at it. Because she was going through her last tribulations in this life, I always chose the five sorrowful mysteries. As my friend was dying, I felt a warm presence and a very warm light all around my friend in her hospital bed. She was never once afraid. I could feel the peace as I sat next to her. The peace and light were directed at her, but I could feel it. To this day I am convinced that it was Mary there all around her. I think that is how God came to her - not all the times and places she looked for it, but when and where she needed it the most.

I guess this is my rather long-winded way of saying that perhaps God speaks to each of us in what ways we are able to hear. These charismatic people have theirs and you have yours. I am sure God will give you what you need when you need it.

Your friend
Sufjon

 

[CristoEnMi]

Thanks for your reply Sufjon. I agree with you that God speaks to us all in different ways. I have felt God’s presence in my life and I am not one of those people who goes to Mass and feels nothing. But I guess my feeling is less of an emotional feeling. Thanks again for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

Anybody else?