Penance Prayers

[7violinS]

Is it wrong to repeat prayers in a rosary over and over when it doesn’t ‘feel’ right or am seriously distracted by blasphemous images or thoughts? Recently as I pray, I find it stressful and difficult and am constantly repeating the ‘Hail Mary’. I told myself that perfection is not necessary but then I think ‘well another prayer can’t be too bad’ and then I end up staying up until late night, sometimes up to the next day. This makes praying the rosary seem more like ‘something that has to be done.’ I prayed one as penance and had to reapeat the last mystery because it just felt bad and now I’m afraid my penance was invalid. Should I pray it again? Does anyone know how to pray more effectively?

 

[LilyM]

Is it wrong to repeat prayers in a rosary over and over when it doesn’t ‘feel’ right or am seriously distracted by blasphemous images or thoughts? Recently as I pray, I find it stressful and difficult and am constantly repeating the ‘Hail Mary’. I told myself that perfection is not necessary but then I think ‘well another prayer can’t be too bad’ and then I end up staying up until late night, sometimes up to the next day. This makes praying the rosary seem more like ‘something that has to be done.’ I prayed one as penance and had to reapeat the last mystery because it just felt bad and now I’m afraid my penance was invalid. Should I pray it again? Does anyone know how to pray more effectively?

BIG red flag here. Repeating prayers over (especially multiple times) because you somehow feel that you didn’t say them ‘right’ or ‘good enough’ the first time is a CLASSIC sign of scrupulosity - particularly in regard to prayers you say as penance. There is no ‘right’ or ‘perfect’ way to pray, and certainly no ‘tricks’ or ‘techniques’ that work unfailingly in this regard.

Being distracted by random images or thoughts, whatever their nature, is not sinful if you’ve done nothing to encourage or incite those thoughts, nor does it invalidate your prayer. We are all human, all get distracted during prayer, even in the manner you describe. It doesn’t make our prayer any worse or less acceptable. It’s a simple part of being human which we have to accept and offer up to God along with all of our human frailties and weaknesses.

Please, do yourself a huge favour. Find a priest to help with your scrupulosity, talk to him and him only about all your concerns and obey to the letter all the advice he gives you. Hanging around here will only make you much worse off, believe you me.

 

[7violinS]

Yeah, I am scrupulous. I was thinking it didn’t really matter but my scrupules and OCD often get the best of me. I was also wondering about a few other things. Is it wrong to pray with legs crossed or laying down? What if your eating and say a quick prayer? Is there any situation where praying would be disrespectful?

 

[baltobetsy]

No, it is never inappropriate to pray, no matter what you are doing - even in the midst of a terrible sin, you can call out to God for help.

A priest told this story. A man asked him if it was OK to smoke while he prayed. The priest told him to ask instead if it was OK to pray while he smoked. Then, of course, the answer would be yes.

Honey, I hope you are getting serious help for your OCD and your scrupulosity, including medical help. You have asked questions that indicate that you are suffering very much, and all of it is unnecessary. There are medications that can help you, and the advice of a spiritual director or regular confessor will be extremely valuable.

Betsy