Choose a topic from Part 2B:
1. The "gift of tongues" is the divinelyimparted knowledge of a variety of languages. The apostles had thisgift, and were able to speak the languages of all the peoples towhom they were sent. We read in Scripture (Acts 2:6) that when theapostles spoke to the people of many nations, "every man heardthem speak in his own tongue." This was rather that they spokein the various languages than that, speaking their own language,they were understood by all. For their own language could not,without illusion, sound differently in different ears.
2. The gift of tongues is not so great a gift (that is, agratuitous grace) as that of prophecy. For prophetic knowledgecomes by divine enlightenment. Now, it is more excellent to haveknowledge than to have words to express knowledge. And prophecy islikely to be more powerful than the gift of tongues in its effectupon souls. The gift of tongues seems, sometimes, to have stirredup more astonishment than conviction.
"If, devout soul, it is your will to please God and live a life of serenity in this world, unite yourself always and in all things to the divine will. Reflect that all the sins of your past wicked life happened because you wandered from the path of God's will. For the future, embrace God's good pleasure and say to him in every happening: "Yea, Father, for so it hath seemed good in thy sight." "
St Alphonsus de Liguori
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"It is not God's will that we should abound in spiritual delights, but that in all things we should submit to his holy will."
Blessed Henry Suso
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"The one thing necessary which Jesus spoke of to Martha and Mary consists in hearing the word of God and living by it."
R. Garrigou-Lagrange, OP
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