Vain Repetition in Prayer
What Jesus Forbids and What He Blesses (Matthew 6:7–8)
What is “vain repetition” in prayer?
Vain repetition in prayer means saying many words—or the same words—without faith, attention, or love, as if the sheer quantity or a mechanical formula could force God’s hand. It treats prayer like a charm or noise, not a living conversation with the Father.
“And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard. Be not you therefore like to them, for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:7-8, DRB)
The Lord warns against babble—words stacked high to impress men or to manipulate God. From the Sermon on the Mount, He demonstrates and gives the prime example of prayer: no “empty phrases,” no meaningless words, no nonsensical repetitions meant to force a result. He is not setting a word-count rule. He is revealing the Father’s heart. The Father hears His children before they finish a sentence.
What Jesus condemns: “vain” (not “repeating prayers”)
“Vain” means empty, proud, or unbelieving
The Gentiles of His day used long strings of titles and secret names, thinking the right sound would move God. That is vain because it treats prayer like a trick. Repeating things without faith is void. Speaking to be seen is hollow. The Lord forbids repetitious words that lack love and trust.
When “repetitions” become “vain”
Repetition becomes vain when:
- It aims to show off to others.
- It treats prayer like magic (pagans sought power in syllables);
- It refuses to pray with attention, love, and faith;
- It ignores conversion; the lips move, the heart stays far.
St. Augustine put it simply: God does not listen to many words, but to the “fervor of desire.” (Letter to Proba) More words can help; they can also hide a cold heart.
What Jesus approves - faithful, loving repetitions
Scripture’s holy “repeating prayers”
The Bible is full of holy repetition. The Psalms repeat the holy Name and cry “for ever” and “for his mercy endureth for ever” (cf. Psalm 135/136). The Lord in Gethsemane “said the same words” (cf. Mark 14:39). The early Church prayed “with one accord,” again and again. Repetition as prayer of love is not vain.
The Rosary and the Jesus Prayer
Christians East and West use beads—prayer rope in Orthodox prayer, beads in the Rosary—to hold the mind on God. These repeat prayers—the Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Jesus Prayer—are not empty phrases when prayed with faith, Scripture, and meditation on the mysteries of Christ. The Church calls this a tried path of praying.
- CCC 2678: The Rosary is a “compendium of the Gospel.”
- CCC 2708–2711: Repetition can serve meditation and mental prayer.
- CCC 2699: The Church knows many ways of prayer—vocal, meditative, contemplative—working together.
How to avoid vain repetitions while praying the Rosary (and any set prayer)
Pray with the three A’s: Attention, Affection, Aiming at God
- Attention: Mean the words. If the mind drifts, gently return.
- Affection: Let love rise—sorrow for sin, trust in the Father, gratitude to the Lord.
- Aim: Name your intention, but rest in God’s will: “Thy will be done.”
Keep the pace: speak, don’t babble
Slow a little. Avoid a rushed babble. Enunciate the holy Name of Jesus. If a line pierces the heart, pause. The goal is not many repetitions but a listening heart.
Let Scripture lead the words
Begin a decade with a verse. For the Our Father, recall Matthew 6:9–13. For a Marian mystery, hold the Bible scene in mind. Repetition serves faith when Scripture illumines it.
Why repeated prayers help a Catholic soul
Repetition fosters desire
The heart is slow to learn love. Repeating prayers forms desire, like breathing. The lips teach the heart to trust. Over time, the Rosary plants the Gospel deep.
Over time, the Rosary plants the Gospel deep.
In grief, a set prayer steadies the mind. When words fail, the Rosary carries you. No performance, only faith. This is the opposite of vain.
Repetition keeps prayer simple and daily
Five minutes, one decade, every day. Small steps. Lord, make it real. That is how a simple practice becomes a life.
Common objections to “vain repetitions”
“Jesus said not to use repetitions.”
He said not to use vain repetitions. The pagans thought that much speaking itself forced a result. Jesus directs us to trust the Father who already knows our need (Matthew 6:7–8). Repetition with faith is not vain.
“But the Rosary repeats the same words.”
Yes—and those words are the Gospel: the Our Father, the angelic salutation, the name of Jesus, and meditation on His life. The Church proposes it because it teaches souls to pray the Gospel with Mary. CCC 2678 and CCC 2708–2711 support such forms.
“Isn’t it better to ‘pray from the heart’?”
Do both. Set prayers give the heart a school. As the saints say, set prayers are rails for the fire of love. Without rails, the fire can fade.
How to Pray without “vain” in your repetitions”
- Begin with a quiet Sign of the Cross
- State your intention.
- Ask the Holy Ghost for light.
- Keep a living image of Christ from Scripture before you.
- Speak slowly; avoid babble.
- When dry, offer the dryness to God.
- Close with thanksgiving.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Jesus bans vain use of repetitions—empty or showy words used like a spell. The Rosary, prayed with faith and prayerful attention, is not vain; it is a Gospel-rich meditation encouraged by the Church (CCC 2678, 2708–2711).
No. The Church has litanies, vigils, and psalms. Length is not the issue; emptiness is. What matters is humility, charity, and trust in the Father.
mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
Pray slowly. Mean the words. Let Scripture guide you. Confess sin. Love your neighbor. If pride creeps in, return to mercy and keep going.
Yes. Many Catholics pray, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner,” even on a prayer rope. It is ancient and sound when prayed with faith and humility.
Charles Rogers is a resident of South Carolina and a retired computer programmer by trade. Raised in various Christian denominations, he always believed in Jesus Christ. In 2012, he began experiencing authentic spiritual encounters with the Blessed Virgin Mary, which led him on a seven-year journey at her hand, that included alcohol addiction, a widow maker heart attack and death and conversion to the Catholic Faith. He is the exclusive author and owner of Two Percent Survival, a website dedicated to and created in honor of the Holy Mother. Feel free to email Charles at twopercentsurvival@gmail.com.
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