I hope this doesn't mean that my faith isn't real

Lady Bug · Mar 4, 2024

Hi, there has been a 3-day event in my diocese about the Healing of the Holy Spirit (I have one more day I can go) and I'm kind of ashamed to admit it but I'm struggling to believe any of this

I believe that during Jesus' ministry, miracles did occur but this doesn't feel like a thing today. When the motivational speaker said "Jesus is ALIVE AND IS VICTORIOUS!" - instead of being motivated, I kind of cringed, because it was the way she said it maybe. I think the whole thing is trying to sport a Pentecostal vibe. Maybe I'm wrong.

As I said in the title, I hope this doesn't mean that my faith isn't real. None of this "healing session" stuff feels like it's legit. I've been to these things before at my former parish. I've never been healed. I still think you need to go to the doctor.

Michie · Mar 4, 2024

Lady Bug said:
Hi, there has been a 3-day event in my diocese about the Healing of the Holy Spirit (I have one more day I can go) and I'm kind of ashamed to admit it but I'm struggling to believe any of this

I believe that during Jesus' ministry, miracles did occur but this doesn't feel like a thing today. When the motivational speaker said "Jesus is ALIVE AND IS VICTORIOUS!" - instead of being motivated, I kind of cringed, because it was the way she said it maybe. I think the whole thing is trying to sport a Pentecostal vibe. Maybe I'm wrong.

As I said in the title, I hope this doesn't mean that my faith isn't real. None of this "healing session" stuff feels like it's legit. I've been to these things before at my former parish. I've never been healed. I still think you need to go to the doctor.

I’m sure the speaker still thinks people need to go to the doctor as well. God heals through many avenues.

Lady Bug · Mar 4, 2024

Michie said:
I’m sure the speaker still thinks people need to go to the doctor as well. God heals through many avenues.

Yeah - as I said, I'm kind of ashamed and worried that I feel so much doubt over this. This shouldn't be.

chevyontheriver · Mar 4, 2024

Lady Bug said:
Hi, there has been a 3-day event in my diocese about the Healing of the Holy Spirit (I have one more day I can go) and I'm kind of ashamed to admit it but I'm struggling to believe any of this

I believe that during Jesus' ministry, miracles did occur but this doesn't feel like a thing today. When the motivational speaker said "Jesus is ALIVE AND IS VICTORIOUS!" - instead of being motivated, I kind of cringed, because it was the way she said it maybe. I think the whole thing is trying to sport a Pentecostal vibe. Maybe I'm wrong.

As I said in the title, I hope this doesn't mean that my faith isn't real. None of this "healing session" stuff feels like it's legit. I've been to these things before at my former parish. I've never been healed. I still think you need to go to the doctor.

Not to worry. Although I think there really are modern day healings I also think there is a lot of Elmer Gantry hype. We CAN be skeptical about this stuff and still be faithful Holy Spirit believing Catholics. We don't need to sport a Pentecostal vibe to be in tune with the Holy Spirit. The vibe might even be harmful to really being in tune with the Holy Spirit, especially for those who try to 'fake it till they make it' in things like speaking in tongues. I think some people can speak in tongues. I just think many make all the expected noises, trying hard, but are just making noises. I think some people are healers too. Very humble folks who don't toot their own horns at all. Not motivationalists.

As Catholics we really can have a belief in medicine. And we can have a belief in healing due to prayer. And we can even believe in a hybrid of medicine and prayer. I wouldn't yet write off going to the doctor. The Holy Spirit can act in many ways, including via the medical healers. The book of Tobit is kind of a Catholic Magna Carta for medicine.

As a thought experiment, imagine medical care in the here and now if there had been no Catholic Church. Scary thought. No Catholic hospitals. Nurses? It WOULD be different.

So too it would be different if we didn't have a long history of healing by prayer. Do pray for people who need your prayers. Pray for healing as needed. Don't be pretentious, but God may use your prayers at some point. No vibe. Just prayer.

Lady Bug · Mar 5, 2024

chevyontheriver said:
Not to worry. Although I think there really are modern day healings I also think there is a lot of Elmer Gantry hype. We CAN be skeptical about this stuff and still be faithful Holy Spirit believing Catholics. We don't need to sport a Pentecostal vibe to be in tune with the Holy Spirit. The vibe might even be harmful to really being in tune with the Holy Spirit, especially for those who try to 'fake it till they make it' in things like speaking in tongues. I think some people can speak in tongues. I just think many make all the expected noises, trying hard, but are just making noises. I think some people are healers too. Very humble folks who don't toot their own horns at all. Not motivationalists.

As Catholics we really can have a belief in medicine. And we can have a belief in healing due to prayer. And we can even believe in a hybrid of medicine and prayer. I wouldn't yet write off going to the doctor. The Holy Spirit can act in many ways, including via the medical healers. The book of Tobit is kind of a Catholic Magna Carta for medicine.

As a thought experiment, imagine medical care in the here and now if there had been no Catholic Church. Scary thought. No Catholic hospitals. Nurses? It WOULD be different.

So too it would be different if we didn't have a long history of healing by prayer. Do pray for people who need your prayers. Pray for healing as needed. Don't be pretentious, but God may use your prayers at some point. No vibe. Just prayer.

I wish I could give the video of one of the sessions (there are 3 in total, but the last one hasn't been uploaded yet). I'm just worried it would look like I'm self-doxxing. I can't decide if the guest speaker is over-the-top or not. I don't want to feel like I'm in the local Assemblies of God church right near me.

chevyontheriver · Mar 5, 2024

Lady Bug said:
I wish I could give the video of one of the sessions (there are 3 in total, but the last one hasn't been uploaded yet). I'm just worried it would look like I'm self-doxxing. I can't decide if the guest speaker is over-the-top or not. I don't want to feel like I'm in the local Assemblies of God church right near me.

Catholics are not successionists like Calvinists are prone to be. We don’t say miracles ended with the apostles. And so we are stuck distinguishing between the actually miraculous and stuff that is over the top. There will be some of both. We do not have to be gullible and believe all the wild claims. OTOH we shouldn’t automatically write it all off as hoohaw. We have the harder job of discernment.

Pray and then trust your instinct. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide and protect you. There is no requirement that you have to be a holy roller. God may have plans for you but those will be discerned in prayer. Not by someone telling you that you need to be all enthused with emotionalism. God has a place for us. Be open to how that unfolds. Pray. Retain some skepticism. Be devoted in your own way to the Holy Spirit.

RileyG · Mar 5, 2024

Feelings come and go. Trust in God’s mercy and carry on.

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I hope this doesn't mean that my faith isn't real

Lady Bug

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Michie

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Lady Bug

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Lady Bug

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