From nighttime symbols to spiritual insight: Catholic approaches to dreams

When we are in the throes of deep REM sleep, we dream.  Dreaming is a universal human experience, and Catholics in particular have long wrestled with the meaning of dreams. It is known that even animals dream.  I have unique dream experiences where I am watching or somehow interacting with dead relatives.  Not once in a while but quite often, on average, about once a week.  Most often it is my mother, who died many years ago about a year after my first child was born.

St.Pio of Pietrelcina and his mystical gifts

It would be quite easy for me to vigorously delve into the significance of these dreams, as the idea of seeing the dead is quite intriguing, at least to me. I always wondered if my mother was permitted by God to appear in a dream to me, as God permitted St.Pio of Pietrelcina to see and speak to the Holy Souls. Numerous testimonies (including those of his close collaborators) recount that St.Pio would see, sometimes suddenly and vividly, souls suffering in purgatory and would see them in his dreams.  He would then pray for them, offer masses and encourage the faithful to do the same.

St. Pio possessed extraordinary spiritual gifts, and experienced the stigmata.  His ability to see the dead was not central to his holiness.  In the official church documents on his canonization, this fact was viewed as a personal experience for St. Pio that was part of the bigger picture of his overall sanctity.

But what about us, the faithful here and now, what do we make of this curious phenomenon called dreaming?  Is it random neural firing?  Reorganization of memories, thoughts or ideas?  A way to decompartmentalize unconscious wishes and conflicts?  I am fairly certain it could be any of these or all of these ideas.  But does God use dreams to reach us with Divine instruction, such as with a warning, a prompting or an idea?

Extraordinary means:  The Magi

One of my favorite accounts in Scripture is the story of the Magi.  It is a story of God’s provision at the right time, in mysterious ways.

In Matthew2:12-13 the Magi, after presenting gifts to the infant Jesus, are warned in a dream not to return to Herod. They obey, depart for their own country by another route, and later, after Jesus’ death, another dream tells them that it is now safe to return to Jerusalem. The Magi’s dream is an example of God communicating privately to the Magi in an EXTRAORDINARY way.  Why did God in his Divine Mind choose to communicate through their dreams? God knew that their astrological and dream interpretation expertise gave the Magi a framework that treated such phenomenon seriously, and they would be more likely to look into its meaning.

Ordinary means:  You and I

Catholic tradition holds that God does not limit Himself to spectacular miracles or extraordinary revelations, especially through dreams.  He often speaks through the everyday realities of our lives. We have the ordinary means of the deposit of our faith, scripture, the sacraments and those we interact with daily. Even people who have unkind hearts toward us can sanctify us.

Sometimes we are not listening to God, we fail to surrender to him, or neglect asking Him what His will is for us, and He will prompt in an extraordinary way, as in dreams.   A vivid or recurring dream can be a private experience that a person senses as having spiritual significance, but it is in no way to be treated as a guide on what to do and how to live. We would not want to be inordinately focused on interpreting dreams or seeking out someone who does, which could cross over in the realm of superstition.  This would be in violation of the first commandment: “I am the LORD your God; you shall have no other gods before Me.”

Possible promptings from God

The best course of action for a person that is having dreams with spiritual significance is to ask for guidance from the church, in particular, a priest who can help discern such matters, especially involving frequent recurring dreams like I have -- of those who have died!

The Magi’s dream is a biblical illustration of a private revelation that aligns with the Church’s teaching: God may speak through dreams, but such communications are not part of the immutable deposit of our faith.

Of course, God can use the subconscious realm of sleep to stir our conscience, and confirm our path of conversion, but it is essential to tread carefully.  By approaching such dreams with prayerful reflection, scriptural grounding, and discernment, Catholics can responsibly regard their dreams as possible promptings by God. A vivid dream that encourages repentance, prayer, or service can certainly be a gentle nudge by God.

A prayerful attitude always

A helpful plan could include keeping a dream diary to track recurring themes and ideas that reflect a common life event, person or problem.  Will we ever know the true significance of why we dream? The Church acknowledges that not all dreams are supernatural in nature and that they could purely be a psychological process.  Science has its numerous theories but we cannot deny there is a whole other other-wordly element under the surface. We must regard them with caution and keep a prayerful attitude toward them always.

Whether a fleeting fragment of the day’s worries or a profound whisper from the Holy Spirit, dreams may invite us into the mystery of God and our lives. By anchoring our reflection in Scripture, tradition, and prayerful discernment, Catholics can honor these nocturnal experiences as part of God’s ongoing conversation with his children.