Is a vow more effective than an ordinary prayer?

[Aeden]

I learned a little while back about vows. Basically my understanding is this: You make a promise to God, sometimes with a condition or assumption. e.g. promising that you will say x number of y prayers if you do well on an important test or land a good job. My question is this: is a vow more effective than an ordinary prayer? That is, is promising to pray x amount of y prayers if outcome z occurs more effective than simply praying for outcome z to occur?

 

[IanGE]

I don’t think you can bribe God: I know this cos I’ve said, "Lord if You arrange for me to win £160 million in the Lottery I promise to give the church £100: it aint happened yet!
Jesus said “let your yes be yes and your no be no.” He also said, “Do not swear (i.e. make a vow) by anything in Heaven for that is the Father’s home or by anything on earth for that is the Father’s footstool”. I believe Jesus was referring to Numbers 30 which lists the dangers of making a vow, ie you’re stuck with a rash vow taken as a youth!

 

[Aeden]

I had always thought that the verse about yes be yes and no be no meant not doing thing like saying “by heaven and earth” as was common with Jews at the time, seen as a way to get around the laws against taking the Lord’s name in vain.

Is promising to give money to the Church if you get money really a vow?

“Can. 1191 §1. A vow, that is, a deliberate and free promise made to God about a possible and better good, must be fulfilled by reason of the virtue of religion.”

The type of good usually meant is a spiritual good, and usually the gaining of vast sums of money, while really nice, isn’t a spiritual good. Plus, $100 for a $160000000 lottery doesn’t really seem like a fair proportion.

I know; I have a slight tenancy to go a bit lawyer on these sorts of things.

Anyway. I guess a possible reason I thought it was more effective was because: why would somebody make a vow instead of an ordinary prayer if it wasn’t more effective? Or am I missing something?