Not praying in public

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michael-kaw

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I know you are supposed to be open about your beliefs and to share them with others but then Jesus said we are also not supposed to pray in public. What about carrying a rosary in your pocket but it is hanging out or carrying it in your hands, is doing that going against what Jesus said?
 
Who says you can’t pray in public? People pray in public all the time. Last night I saw some people saying grace as a diner.
 
I believe what Jesus was saying was to not pray just for the sake of others watching you pray e.g ‘‘Look at him he’s so holy!’’ He didn’t condemn praying in public
 
michael-kaw said:
I know you are supposed to be open about your beliefs and to share them with others but then Jesus said we are also not supposed to pray in public. What about carrying a rosary in your pocket but it is hanging out or carrying it in your hands, is doing that going against what Jesus said?
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Jesus was teaching us not to pray in public so as to show off to others when He said ,"“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”
 
I think this passage (Mt 5) about praying in public is often simplified and misunderstood, like the verse about not calling anyone father.

The context is about hypocricy. We should not be hypocrites, where we are showing off in our prayers so that people will praise us.

There is motive involved and therefore hypocrisy.

If we are not showing off, there is nothing wrong being seen by others when we pray. In fact we should not be ashamed that we pray. Jesus said something to the effect that if we are ashamed of him, he will be ashamed of us in the last judgement.

Going to church for mass, parking your car outside the chapel for the purpose, also is being seen in public. When someone asks you, you need to tell the truth also that you are going for mass.

It should be perfectly alright to say the Rosary in public perhaps while in the bus or train. Of course you do it discreetly rather than attracting attention to yourself.
 
What about what Jesus said in Matthew 10:32 “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

We have to do it with prudence,praying in public places during the way of the Cross and the Rosary, when we come together,we become a witness of our faith an encouragement and edification for others, we are a blessing for others as well as for ourselves.and its not,showing off as such,at the same time, we are also encouraged to pray privately as Jesus has done many times,praying silently when we are alone will also do at times we have to discern such situation and act accordingly. God Bless
 
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I pray in public all the time, but not so as to draw attention to myself. I do these things because they are part of who and what I am:
My friends and I say grace - making the Sign of the Sross before and after - before meals in restaurants.
I say the Divine Mercy Chaplet, quietly, in funeral home lobbies with the beads in my hand, while waiting for the priest/deacon and/or pianist to show up.
I make the Sign of the Cross when passing a Catholic church while riding a bus.
I say God Bless You when strangers sneeze.

I am more discrete in other ways:
I say the DM Chaplet or the Rosary while riding the bus but I do not display the beads-I generally count with my fingers.
I pray for those who are impatient with me, who seem to be having a rough day, and for those who are kind to me in some way.
 
Christ didn’t forbid us to pray in public. Remember that Christ HImself often prayed in public.

Matthew 6:1-6
Christ said not to make a big show of giving alms–“Therefore when thou dost an almsdeed, sound not a trumpet before thee”–but He didn’t say not to give alms.
He said not to put on a show of prayer to get people to admire you. He never forbade us to pray in public.
 
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