is repetitious prayer wrong?

Question

then how come Jesus gave his disciples the "Our Father" prayer?

note: if anyone denies that Jesus taught that prayer, then that person doesn't have any idea what he/she is following and what he/she is preaching.

but did Jesus undeniably told His disciples not to repeat the "Our Father" 9x, or not to repeat it at all? if so, why did He gave the disciples that prayer in the first place? isn't it a contradiction? and about rubbing your belly, who's doing it while praying? i haven't met anyone who does that at all.

Answer 1

The Lord's Prayer is the best. There is nothing wrong with reciting it more than once.

Matt. 6:7 - Jesus teaches, "do not heap up empty phrases" in prayer. Protestants use this verse to criticize various Catholic forms of prayer which repeat phrases, such as litanies and the Rosary. But Jesus' focus in this instruction is on the "vain," and not on the "repetition."

Matt. 26:44 - for example, Jesus prayed a third time in the garden of Gethsemane, saying the exact same words again. It is not the repetition that is the issue. It's the vanity. God looks into our heart, not solely at our words.

Luke 18:13 - the tax collector kept beating his breast and praying "God be merciful to me, a sinner." This repetitive prayer was pleasing to God because it was offered with a sincere and repentant heart.

Acts 10:2,4 - Cornelius prayed constantly to the Lord and his prayers ascended as a memorial before God.

Rom. 1:9 - Paul says that he always mentions the Romans in his prayers without ceasing.

Rom. 12:12 - Paul commands us to be constant in prayer. God looks at what is in our heart, not necessarily how we choose our words.

1 Thess. 5:17 - Paul commands us to pray constantly. Good repetition is different than vain repetition.

Rev. 4:8 - the angels pray day and night without cessation the same words "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty." This is repetitious prayer that is pleasing to God.

Psalm 136 - in this Psalm, the phrase "For His steadfast love endures forever" is more repetitious than any Catholic prayer, and it is God's divine Word.

Dan. 3:35-66 - the phrase "Bless the Lord" is similarly offered repeatedly, and mirrors Catholic litanies.

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Answer 2

I won't deny that Jesus taught that prayer, but uttering the same thing over and over again just doesn't work for me. When I pray, I pray as if I'm talking with a close and intimate friend, which Jesus is, actually.

Answer 3

To me I do not think that repetitious prayer is right.Why? Today the burden in my heart may be to interceed for a certain area that is not yet been reached with the gospel. Tomorrow the burden may be to pray for peace in a certain Country, you see that prayer topics changes.It is good to be specific in your prayers. If you need a car instead of saying "God I need a car. Provide me with money to buy a car"if you start saying "Hail Mary full of grace and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus" Have you asked for the car? Noooooooooo!! As to the "our Father", that is the national anthem that should be sang by all each day.
I love you and may God bless you mightily in this year 2007.
May this be a year of your total break through. Amen.

Answer 4

Peace and every blessing!
I have answered a similar question before. No it is not. If you read the story of Jesus' agony in the garden very carefully you will find that he used repetitive prayer. There are also many Psalms (they are prayers you know) that are repetitive.
I am a contermplative and this is how I pray.

Answer 5

Jesus told us to pray constantly, confidently, and with persistence.

Any prohibition against repetetive prayer was only in reference to the practices of the pagans, who prayed to false gods with great fervor, which yielded nothing.

Every prayer, especially the one Jesus gave us, no matter how often repeated, is effective when offered up by a baptized and faithful Christian.

Answer 6

i think you can pray the "our Father" prayer many times over and over and meditate on some different part of the prayer each time. i don't think there's anything wrong with repeating things, its mostly the 'faith movement' that came in and think they have the handle on everything like faith and prayer and "speaking things into being", etc. that like to teach people repetitive prayer has no worth.

Answer 7

Yes! As has already been quoted 'don't pray with vane repetations'.

Jesus did give us the ' "our Farher" ' prayer. This was a pattern of prayer for us.

I remember when I was in grade school, this prayer was said weekly by all the school. For 99% of the school (including the teachers) - the prayer had as much meaning as saying the alphabet. It was meaningless.

It is easy to pray. Just talk to Jesus the same way you would talk to a friend. This means that you think about what you are saying and mean what you say.

Father, I know that you love the one who asked this question. Help her to know that she can talk to you as her friend and help her pray in this manner. Amen.

Answer 8

Yes, Jesus said, when you pray, pray LIKE THIS, and then gave us the Lord's Prayer.

What He DIDN'T say was repeat this 9 times and then rub your belly for good luck.
The Bible also says that God HATES our "vain repetitions" and our empty prayers.
Jesus was giving us a model in which to base our prayers off of, not a mantra that needs to be repeated over and over again...

Also, the angels who say holy holy holy are angels, not human beings, and we should not base our lives off of angels, but rather off Jesus Christ.

Answer 9

prayer is about the spirit in which it is done. So you can say the same prayer every day for 50 yerars, but if you mean it, God accepts it more than the fancy prayers that are said hollowly

Answer 10

No...what JESUS IS SAYING DON"T BE LIKE THE PAGANS WHO multiplies their words in great lenght to flatter their gods. God would always hear the prayer of the humble, even if he repeats it as long as it is really in his sincerity and meakness of heart.
God hates it if you will flatter Him as if HE can be bribed by you, when he already knows what's in your heart, and what you need...PRAYER is asking, acknowledging Him to your life.