The Gift of Tongues

I am incredibly grateful for the teaching and instruction I received through our college prayer group while attending the University of Idaho. Shortly after my first year, the prayer group sponsored a Life in the Spirit Seminar. Our small group leader was a senior who took the time to meet with each person in our group before the 5th session when we were prayed over for a release of the Holy Spirit. I remember having a bit of apprehension about one particular gift: the gift of tongues. He told me to be open to whatever the Lord wanted to give me. 

Sometime after the prayer for  Baptism in the Holy Spirit, I was kneeling by my bed in my dorm room and something came out of my mouth that I didn't understand. That was the beginning of receiving and using the gift of tongues. While St. Paul says it is the "least of the gifts", it has been incredibly helpful to me. It wasn't long before I realized that I could sing in tongues and that is always a powerful experience. 

I have met a lot of Catholics who are apprehensive or not open to receiving this gift. I can totally understand that since there is little to no catechesis on the topic and many Catholics have never experienced it. I too was apprehensive and scared when I first was exposed to it. Through good teaching and personal experience I have grown to love this gift. 

Catholic theology on this topic states that not everyone will receive this gift. Pentecostal Christians believe a person has not received Baptism in the Holy Spirit unless you have the gift of tongues. We don't believe that. Still, it tends to be one of the more common gifts and is very prevalent in the Acts of the Apostles. I try and follow the practice of our small group leader in the college Life in the Spirit Seminar I attended and also encourage people to be open to whatever the Lord wants to give them.  

Fr. Michael Sears, a graduate from St. John's Seminary about three years before me, wrote his master's thesis on the gift of tongues. I attended his defense and was surprised that there weren't more questions about it since it was never covered in any of the classes I took. His thesis has been published as a book and you can buy it by clicking here. 

I also wanted to share a column written by Patti Mansfield on her experience with this gift. 

Sometime ago a brother priest texted me with great enthusiasm telling me that he had received the gift of a new prayer language. That is often how people describe it. I was thrilled to get the news and remember my own excitement when it happened to me. 

Here is an article by Patti Mansfield from her book More of God on this topic. I hope you will find it helpful.

THE LEAST OF THE GIFTS?  

     "Did you realize you were just praying in perfect French?" I asked in surprise. 

"No," came the reply. "Was I?"  

     Having studied French I understood the beautiful words of praise my friend had just uttered in tongues. We were both newly baptized in the Holy Spirit at the time. How our sense of awe and wonder increased as we realized that God had enabled my friend to praise Him in a new language.  

     I've never understood why the gift of tongues is referred to as "the least" of the spiritual gifts. Perhaps this terminology comes from the passage in which St. Paul says that the one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues (l Cor 14:5). Maybe some people conclude that the gift of tongues is less valuable because it's mentioned towards the end of the list of spiritual gifts (l Cor 12:7-11). While it may be true that in the assembly there are other gifts that contribute more directly to building up the Church, the gift of tongues is an invaluable aid for personal prayer.  

     Of course, I didn't always realize this myself. At first I neither understood nor desired this gift. After the Baptism of the Holy Spirit I was able to pray in English with new freedom and joy. I wondered why it was necessary to have another prayer language. But before very long I began to feel the need for greater power in my praise and greater understanding of God's mind in my intercession. Because there was no one to explain to me that yielding to tongues is a matter of speaking out in faith with one's own voice, I waited in silence day after after day for a new language to overtake me.  

     When I finally yielded to the gift of tongues, it came forth as a beautiful song of praise. Though I did not recognize the language, in my spirit I sensed I was singing Mary's Magnificat. From that day on I have been convinced that I am better equipped to praise God and serve others because of the gift of tongues.  

     One striking example of this occurred years ago. I was awakened in the middle of the night by a sense that I should intercede for something very serious. Not knowing the nature of the need I began to pray in tongues. As I prayed a heaviness came upon my spirit and I labored for a long time interceding in tongues for this unknown situation. Finally, the prayer burden lifted and I went back to sleep.  

     The next day I discovered that my family had been in a terrible car accident in another state at the very time God called me to prayer. They had been miraculously spared any injury. In fact, the policeman on the scene said, "God had to be with you to come through this accident unharmed." The Lord enabled me through the gift of tongues to intercede for my family's safety. If the gift of tongues had helped me in this situation alone I would be eternally grateful for it. But experiences like this have occurred in my life time and again.  

     Not only for personal needs, but for the needs of the Church and the world, we are called to steadfast intercession. The gift of tongues can help make us strong prayer warriors who can win victories in the Spirit for God's people.  

     If you have already received this precious gift, stir it up and use it! If you have not, then seek it! Ask others to lay hands on you and pray that you may yield to this wonderful gift of prayer. It's yours for the asking! No gift of God is to be disdained or ignored whether it is called "the greatest" or "the least." Praying in tongues has strengthened my relationship with Jesus and helped me intercede for His people. Never shall I call it the least of His gracious gifts.