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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Spiritual Gifts	James	Saturday, January 3, 2009
Question: Hi, I just read your article "Charism Gift Building Up the Church." Thank you very much. I just want some clarification about the mystical gifts not to be sought for. Is it the charismatic gifts of 1-Cor 12 that you are referring here or is it mystical prayer? Is it not right to pray that God bestow us the charismatic gifts referred above? Because I found a prayer to the Holy Spirit asking the gifts of tongues etc. And are we not to pray/seek to reach mystical union or transforming union? Please enlighten me because the difference of mystical prayer, mystical union and transforming union is somewhat vague to me. All I know is the difference between the 7 sanctification gifts of Isaiah and the charismatic gifts referred above. God bless+ James
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear James: Mystical prayer and the charismatic gifts are two completely different things. The mystical union referred to by St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross has nothing whatsoever to do with the charismatic gifts. To the charismatic gifts we need to pray to DISCOVER what gift(s) God has already given us. We should not covet any of the gifts or seek after them. This is especially the case with the gifts of tongues (the least important of all gifts) since we can be easily fooled -- as I explained in that essay. A prayer to specifically ask for the gift of tongues is a Pentecostal idea, not a Catholic one. Mystical prayer and union is part of contemplative prayer. See the Catholic Encyclopedia article on Contemplation. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Spiritual Gifts

James

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Question:

Hi,

I just read your article "Charism Gift Building Up the Church." Thank you very much. I just want some clarification about the mystical gifts not to be sought for. Is it the charismatic gifts of 1-Cor 12 that you are referring here or is it mystical prayer? Is it not right to pray that God bestow us the charismatic gifts referred above? Because I found a prayer to the Holy Spirit asking the gifts of tongues etc. And are we not to pray/seek to reach mystical union or transforming union? Please enlighten me because the difference of mystical prayer, mystical union and transforming union is somewhat vague to me. All I know is the difference between the 7 sanctification gifts of Isaiah and the charismatic gifts referred above.

God bless+
James

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear James:

Mystical prayer and the charismatic gifts are two completely different things. The mystical union referred to by St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross has nothing whatsoever to do with the charismatic gifts.

To the charismatic gifts we need to pray to DISCOVER what gift(s) God has already given us. We should not covet any of the gifts or seek after them. This is especially the case with the gifts of tongues (the least important of all gifts) since we can be easily fooled -- as I explained in that essay. A prayer to specifically ask for the gift of tongues is a Pentecostal idea, not a Catholic one.

Mystical prayer and union is part of contemplative prayer. See the Catholic Encyclopedia article on Contemplation.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.