Is it superstitious to repeat prayers?

[DeoJuventute]

I’m curious about superstition and prayers. The Catechism says that superstition occurs when you attribute the efficacy of your prayers to the words alone, apart from the inner disposition of the pray-er. How does that work at a practical level? What exactly is superstitious when it comes to prayers?

If you repeat your prayers–the Divine Office, for example–because you didn’t concentrate properly on them, is that superstitious? On the other hand, if you’re busy thinking about something else besides your prayers–your office, Rosary, etc.–is it superstition to believe that you’ve “covered” them even though you didn’t concentrate properly?

Thanks.

 

[Scoobyshme]

I’m curious about superstition and prayers. The Catechism says that superstition occurs when you attribute the efficacy of your prayers to the words alone, apart from the inner disposition of the pray-er. How does that work at a practical level? What exactly is superstitious when it comes to prayers?

If you repeat your prayers–the Divine Office, for example–because you didn’t concentrate properly on them, is that superstitious? On the other hand, if you’re busy thinking about something else besides your prayers–your office, Rosary, etc.–is it superstition to believe that you’ve “covered” them even though you didn’t concentrate properly?

Thanks.

I would say surely not. Why? Because the angels in heaven sing the same praises to God over, and over, and over again, for all eternity.

 

[Karen1960]

I’m curious about superstition and prayers. The Catechism says that superstition occurs when you attribute the efficacy of your prayers to the words alone, apart from the inner disposition of the pray-er. How does that work at a practical level? What exactly is superstitious when it comes to prayers?

If you repeat your prayers–the Divine Office, for example–because you didn’t concentrate properly on them, is that superstitious? On the other hand, if you’re busy thinking about something else besides your prayers–your office, Rosary, etc.–is it superstition to believe that you’ve “covered” them even though you didn’t concentrate properly?

Thanks.

even if you are not in full concentation, do you deeply believe the words?

If the answer is yes, then it is not superstition or vain repetitions. God knows we are not perfect, He wants our praise and prayers, even if we are half-watching to make sure the pot roast doesn’t burn

 

[puzzleannie]

I’m curious about superstition and prayers. The Catechism says that superstition occurs when you attribute the efficacy of your prayers to the words alone, apart from the inner disposition of the pray-er. How does that work at a practical level? What exactly is superstitious when it comes to prayers?

If you repeat your prayers–the Divine Office, for example–because you didn’t concentrate properly on them, is that superstitious? On the other hand, if you’re busy thinking about something else besides your prayers–your office, Rosary, etc.–is it superstition to believe that you’ve “covered” them even though you didn’t concentrate properly?

Thanks.

no superstion is what the Catechism says, attaching the spiritual benefit to your action in reciting the prayers in a certain order, wearing the sacramental properly, and ignoring God’s action of grace and most of all ignoring your interior disposition in praying and using sacramentals. When you spend more time worrying about what your scapular or rosary is made of, how you use it, was it blessed properly, can you wash it etc., and little or no time on the prayers and devotions with their proper end of contemplating God’s love and mercy–that is superstition. It is superstition when it is about you, not God.

 

[styrgwillidar]

Well, what the catechism says is:

2562 Where does prayer come from? Whether prayer is expressed in words or gestures, it is the whole man who prays. But in naming the source of prayer, Scripture speaks sometimes of the soul or the spirit, but most often of the heart (more than a thousand times). According to Scripture, it is the heart that prays. **If our heart is far from God, the words of prayer are in vain. **

And superstition:

2111 Superstition is the deviation of religious feeling and of the practices this feeling imposes. It can even affect the worship we offer the true God, e.g., when one attributes an importance in some way magical to certain practices otherwise lawful or necessary. To attribute the efficacy of prayers or of sacramental signs to their mere external performance, apart from the interior dispositions that they demand, is to fall into superstition.

I agree, it is not superstitious to repeat prayers if we knew that ‘our heart was far from God’ when we prayed. We are simply acknowledging that we didn’t make the proper effort to raise our hearts and minds to him, not because we failed to execute them perfectly.

Similarly, many repetitious prayers are done with the intention not to execute X numbers of prayers, it’s to maintain ourselves in extended contemplation of God. Allow ourselves more time in prayer, slow down and devote more time towards raising our hearts and minds to him.

Hope the above makes sense.

 

[0129141]

Louis de Montfort says not to worry too much about repeating prayers because of distraction. Due to our fallen nature, a perfect prayer is a rarity.
When repeating prayers, do be careful though that you are not trying to get warm cozy feelings. An example would be thanking God for something. If you repeat it over and over, are you really thanking God, or trying to make yourself feel thankful. Prayer is of the mind.