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Where does it come from? Can you ask for this gift?

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)

These verses from the Acts of the Apostles associate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and their reception of a particular gift of “speaking in tongues.” The apostles were astounded by this gift as it was discovered that even though the place was filled with a wide variety of people who spoke different languages, everyone heard and understood what was being said.

Ever since then certain Christians have experienced a similar phenomenon and claim to have received the “gift of tongues,” able to interpret and speak languages that were foreign to them.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of this type of miraculous gift as a special “charism.”

There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning “favor,” “gratuitous gift,” “benefit.” Whatever their character — sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues — charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church. (CCC 2003)

The Catholic Encyclopedia explains, “In post-Biblical times St. Irenæus tells us that ‘many’ of his contemporaries were heard ‘speaking through the Spirit in all kinds (pantodapais) of tongues’ … St. Francis Xavier is said to have preached in tongues unknown to him and St. Vincent Ferrer while using his native tongue was understood in others.”

The gift of tongues is exactly that, a special gift given by God for a specific purpose in building up the kingdom of God.

Recently this special charism has become a feature of various Catholic and Christian groups. The Catholic Charismatic Movement has much to say about this particular gift and how it is utilized by the Church.

As with all the gifts of the Spirit, these graces (or charisms), as St. Thomas Aquinas taught, are for evangelisation – the sharing of the faith.

This is obvious in the case of speaking in tongues (as opposed to praying in tongues); for example, one friend at university was enabled by the Holy Spirit to speak to a group of French students, even though he knew no French. He was not only able to help them but also to share his faith with these young people.

I’ve also heard of a man who went to a synagogue and started praying along in tongues and heard later from his neighbour in the service that he had been praying fluently in Hebrew.

As noted here, “speaking in tongues” is not to be confused with “praying in tongues,” which is understood to be something much different and can often seem like a string of unidentifiable utterances.

Relatively very few people are granted the charism of speaking in tongues, as God grants various kinds of gifts to each person, not seeking uniformity, but diversity. St. Paul explains this in his letter to the Corinthians.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

It is a gift from God, one that is directed toward a purpose and must be received with an open heart.

https://aleteia.org/2018/05/19...mp;utm_content=NL_en

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I believe that the Holy Spirit's gift of Tongues was primarily the gift to speak and everyone else, regardless of their own native language, hears the speaker in their own native tongue even though the Speaker may not even know or speak that language.   I believe it was for the edification and glorification of God and was primarily used in early days of Christianity.  

I have been in Churches where people have started speaking a language that I don't think is any native language but are more those unidentifiable utterances.  When I hear such during a Church Service or during Prayer it is difficult but I try not to judge it one way or another.  It is my understanding that if one speaks in the unknown tongues there would be one there with the gift to interpret what is said but it is difficult to reconcile at times.  But if it's not for me it's not for me and maybe there is someone there that it is for so I try not to judge either way.

1 Corinthians 14:21-25 NIrV
In the law it is written, “With unfamiliar languages and through the lips of outsiders I will speak to these people. But even then they will not listen to me.” (Isaiah28:11,12 ) That is what the Lord says. [22] So speaking in other languages is a sign for those who don’t believe. It is not a sign for those who do believe. But prophecy is not for those who don’t believe. It is for those who believe. [23] Suppose the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in other languages. And suppose visitors or unbelievers come in. Won’t they say you are out of your minds? [24] But suppose unbelievers or visitors come in while everyone is prophesying. Then they will feel guilty about their sin. They will be judged by all. [25] The secrets of their hearts will be brought out into the open. They will fall down and worship God. They will exclaim, “God is really here among you!”

The thing I take from the gift of Tongues is more it is for God's Use and if there is a Use or reason then God should be honored and worshiped but if it is for God then it should be evident and for one's edification.  

I do believe that God bestows His Holy Spirit within each true Believer and that along with God's Holy Spirit comes different fruits or benefits and those are listed in Galatians 5:22- and those are for the benefit or ministry to the specific Christian.

Galatians 5:22-26 NIrV
But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful [23] and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful desires to his cross. They don’t want these things anymore. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. [26] Let us not become proud. Let us not make each other angry. Let us not want what belongs to others.

Of those fruits/benefits I don't see tongues listed but that is not to say God cannot or will not bestow special gifts or tools upon a believer at a specific time for a specific purpose.  Again the way I look at it is it was a purpose and evidence of God's work in the early Church but for the modern Church I try not to judge when I hear someone "speaking in tongues" or the "unknown language".

 

Another interesting fact is the one language spoken in Heaven and no
where else, primary reason was to exclude Satan from over hearing 
anything that could assist in the war against God/Heaven.
 
When Jesus taught thousands of people at different gatherings did it 
occur to anyone that everyone of them understood the lessons ?
 
All twenty-five different races went to work one morning and not one
race understood the others. As hard as they tried, the work was going
nowhere. After a while they all drifted away exasperated and very
confused leaving the tower of Babel a failure.

That's what I meant by tongues as being a supernatural miracle but I neglected to state exactly what you did.  That one speaker spoke but everyone heard, and understood, what was said in their own native language.  Essentially the same thing that happens in a Speech at the United Nations except everyone else hears the speech in their own native language because there are interpreters who interpret what is said and translate it to the native language.  In tongues there is no translator but rather every ear hears what is said in their own language.  That is a miracle for sure.  As I said though when someone purports to speak that unknown tongue or as some say the Holy Language I rather than judge it as something probable I just try and not judge it at all unless claims are made that are not backed up by scripture.  

Claims such as if you cannot speak the Holy Language that you are not a Christian or that every Christian must have the gift of the unknown language or be able to speak in tongues.  

Jack Hammer posted:
Another interesting fact is the one language spoken in Heaven and no
where else, primary reason was to exclude Satan from over hearing 
anything that could assist in the war against God/Heaven.
 
When Jesus taught thousands of people at different gatherings did it 
occur to anyone that everyone of them understood the lessons ?
 
All twenty-five different races went to work one morning and not one
race understood the others. As hard as they tried, the work was going
nowhere. After a while they all drifted away exasperated and very
confused leaving the tower of Babel a failure.

What?

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