The Gift of Tongues: How God Speaks to us through the Holy Spirit

Let's talk about the Gift of Tongues.

Does God still use the Gift of Tongues today to speak to us? Does he gift some of us with the ability to speak for Him to others, like a translator? The answer is yes! Even today, the Church teaches us how these gifts are used for the edification of the Church.

Just recently while in the process of writing my book, I almost came to a complete halt! For three days, allergies and congestion had me feeling tired and weary. And when I am tired and weary sometimes - discouragement does sneak in. 

A different sort of ‘silence’ came into my life about this time: a silence from the world. I was not getting any replies to Sunday Emails and from my spiritual prayer partners. The Holy Spirit, through that Silence, led me to know that I was looking the wrong way for help. It was time to pray.

He reminded me with gentle nudges to pray for others, write to others or call others who were dealing with my same “weariness and low self esteem.” Pay attention to emotions or what is ailing you. This is how the Holy Spirit is leading you in your prayers.

So I did - and that started the reversing of my downward path back to an 'upward and onward' direction.

When praying and asking for help, I am reminded of two things. Pray, lest you "fall asleep in the Spirit" and forget how the “disgusting cockroach” likes the dark. I also noticed on my Blessed Mother Statue that my Carmel Brown Scapular was hanging and had NOT been worn for over three days or more. 

Well no wonder, Lord. I was down and discouraged, I was letting down my guard. I remembered too that the St. Michael prayer, which is usually said with the Morning Offering, had not been prayed lately either. Oh how we can slip on that everyday path of ‘habitual routines’ numb us in our daily life!

Finally, in that Silence, I was encouraged to draw away and pray - and I did. Going into a quiet dark kitchen, singing and praying in tongues, immediately, I sensed the Presence of God or the Holy Spirit. 

Writer’s block had been sent by God to remind me of this: “There needs to be another chapter—titled God Speaks through the Holy Spirit. Do not forget to include in the book how the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are used in your walk with the Lord God.”

Yes, thank You, God. I had forgotten how much those gifts have been used by the Holy Spirit to open my heart and mind to Your Presence and Inner Voice.

The Gift of Tongues always helps me to know what to pray, what to say, and what to write. Just 'knowing' what to do, I am clueless. Oh, thank You God, for those fantastic moaning and groanings that are sent when we need them, when we just don’t know how to pray!”

How does God speak? Does anybody know that answer? In the Old Testament, we see him speak in fire, in wind, in whispers, in voices; as he did when Samuel heard Him calling his name in the middle of the night.

Then on Pentecost, we learn something new. Tongues of fire and the gift of tongues are introduced, along with a strong wind when His Presence came over the Apostles, the Disciples and Mary.

Remember: we prayed for God to give us an open mind. Remember too, to not put God in a Box; meaning, ”this is how and what God does in our world today.” 

Years ago (in 1973, to be exact), I first read about the New Charismatic Movement in the Catholic Church. As I had already experienced the release of the Holy Spirit in my life, I was eager to learn more about this Movement.

When Bob and I attended a Marriage Encounter that year, I met people who had already formed a Prayer Group in Little Rock under Father Jim Manchini’s supervision. Thus our Charismatic spiritual walk began under the guidance and approval of our Catholic Church. 

Some will tell you that this gift came in a quick release of ‘tongues’ coming from deep within them.

But for most people, the gift of tongues comes when we are willing to be open to the Holy Spirit manifesting His gifts in our lives.

One Nun spoke of her experience, saying that she started with a simple “Ratatat-tat” over and over again after someone prayed for her to receive the gift. 

She humbled herself and persisted in being open; and a few weeks later—still “ratatat-tating"--a priest came to her for prayer. 

“Teach me how to pray in tongues,” the priest said. “I hear you have the gift.”

She gulped and thought, “Oh no, all I can speak is ratatat-tat.”  

She proceeded to open her mouth, and poof - out came a language that the priest knew! He heard a personal message from God she did not hear, as it was just for him. He was cured of the cancer of the liver that he had. 

Tongues have two types. The personal tongues that are used in your private prayer life; and the type that is for edifying the Church - the type where a message is given and someone is able to interpret what is heard. 

There is also the gift of singing in tongues, generally done at group gatherings. For me, it sounds like how I imagine heaven’s choir would sound. 

God spoke to my heart one day to help me understand tongues and how to explain them to others: Compare tongues to the song of the mockingbird as he sings throughout the day.

I knew that the mockingbird mocks other bird’s calls. So I did some research and this is what I found that had me marveling at the awesome Ways of God:

BirdLife now recognizes a total of 10,426 species of birds worldwide. 10,426 species, each with their own distinct call. These birds are different and never try to sound like each other. But the Mockingbird mimics. It's one that you almost can hear a spoken word from. 

Nature confirms what God has spoken—to everyone, different gifts are given. Birds let us know that, in God's Mysterious way, there is a Gift called Tongues. 

Similarly, in all of humanity, there are over 2,300 languages, many with different dialects. Only God knows the translation all of these languages; when every person prays, all their prayers are heard. 

At any time of any day when I do not know what to do, what to cook, what to pray or how to show God the depth of my appreciation/love, tongues are spoken, sung, and blink---within that blink—comes answers or the peace. Peace that speaks not words but the unquestionable knowledge that I Am With You. This is a Peace that can only come from God and no other ‘source.’ 

Oh, yes, let there be no doubt—there is a Gift of Tongues. Just as God did not abandon or divorce the Catholic Church when she needed correction—neither did He take away from us any of His Gifts of the Holy Spirit that are so essential for His work to be done on this earth.

Let us not be as Thomas who said ‘first I must see and touch or speak in tongues,’ before I believe. If not for the power of the Holy Spirit within them—how could the Saints be Saints?

Holy Spirit, may our minds see what our eyes to not see, and our ears hear, what needs to be heard from Your Inner Voice within. Thank You Jesus, Holy Spirit and Father God. Amen.