Stay with me for a moment\u2026 because this question isn\u2019t answered with religious pride, but with an open Bible and a humble heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many Catholics say, \u201cJesus repeated the same prayer three times in Gethsemane, so repeating prayers is not wrong.\u201d They also point to Revelation 4:8, where the living creatures say, \u201cHoly, holy, holy.\u201d It\u2019s true: the Bible does show repetition in prayer and worship. Jesus repeated His prayer in the garden of Getseman\u00ed, and in the book of Apocalipsis we see constant worship before the throne of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s also true that Jesus said in Matthew 6:7 that when we pray, we should not use \u201cvain repetitions,\u201d like the Gentiles who think they will be heard because of their many words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So\u2026 there is no contradiction here.
There is a deeper teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The question is not: Is it okay to repeat?<\/strong> In Gethsemane, Jesus was not reciting something mindlessly. He wasn\u2019t counting phrases. He wasn\u2019t repeating words to earn merit. He was broken, overwhelmed, pouring out His soul before the Father. The same prayer came out three times because the pain was real, the obedience was deep, and His heart was fully surrendering to God\u2019s will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That was not empty repetition. In Revelation, something similar happens. The living creatures say \u201cHoly, holy, holy,\u201d not as a dead routine, but as constant worship before God\u2019s holiness. They are not trying to convince God. They are not using a formula. They are responding to who God is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, being fair: repeating words is not always a sin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A person can say, \u201cLord, help me,\u201d many times, with sincere tears. That is not wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But we must also say the other side clearly: Jesus did condemn vain repetition<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When prayer becomes automatic, when the mouth speaks but the heart is not present, when someone believes that repeating more words will make God listen more\u2014then we are no longer following the spirit of Christ\u2019s teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And this does not apply only to Catholics. It also applies to evangelicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because sometimes we criticize the Rosary, but we repeat phrases without thinking: The problem is not just the Rosary. Now, about the Lord\u2019s Prayer: Jesus did teach that prayer. But in Matthew 6, He did not present it as a magical formula, but as a model for how to pray: recognizing the Father, honoring His name, seeking His will, asking for provision, forgiveness, protection, and guidance. If someone repeats it with understanding and reverence, it can be a beautiful prayer. But if it\u2019s repeated without awareness, it becomes empty words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is something else Jesus taught that helps us understand this even better. In a parable, Jesucristo spoke about a widow who kept going again and again to an unjust judge, asking for justice (Luke 18:1\u20138). It wasn\u2019t just once\u2026 she was persistent, constant, repetitive. And in the end, the judge gave in\u2014not because he was good, but because of her persistence. Jesus used this story to teach something clear: we should always pray and not give up<\/strong>. This doesn\u2019t mean repeating for the sake of repeating, but remaining, insisting, not quitting in prayer<\/strong>. It\u2019s a different kind of repetition\u2026 not empty, but persistent. It doesn\u2019t come from a formula, but from a faith that refuses to give up. Here we see a beautiful balance: it\u2019s not about avoiding repetition\u2026 it\u2019s about never stopping in seeking God with a living heart, even if that means saying the same thing many times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The biblical truth is clearer and deeper:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Repeating with faith, understanding, and a sincere heart is not a sin. God is not looking for long prayers to be impressed. Let me leave you with this thought: before criticizing how others pray, let\u2019s examine how we are praying. Because you can repeat the Lord\u2019s Prayer without heart\u2026 and you can also make a spontaneous prayer without heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The prayer that pleases God is not the longest one. I invite you to join me in this prayer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lord, teach me to pray the way You taught. Deliver me from empty repetition, but also from judging without understanding. Let my prayer not be a dead routine, but a sincere conversation with You. Help me seek You in truth, with humility, and with a present heart. In Jesus\u2019 name, Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Somos Cristianos, connecting hearts with Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Is repeating prayers right or wrong? In this reflection, you\u2019ll understand the difference between a prayer repeated with faith\u2026 and empty repetition without meaning. This isn\u2019t about religion\u2014it\u2019s about the heart.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever felt like you keep saying the same thing when you pray\u2026 this message is for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":17224,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2835,2820,2842],"tags":[2979,3758,3001,2832,3464,3111,2911,3468,2992,2976,4335,3733,2879,3522,2988],"series":[3039],"class_list":["post-17226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-christian-growth","category-featured_en","tag-bible","tag-christ","tag-christian-life","tag-christian-reflection","tag-christians","tag-faith","tag-faith-in-god","tag-god","tag-gospel","tag-jesus","tag-pray","tag-spiritual-growth","tag-truth","tag-word-of-god","series-somos-cristianos-reflexiones-diarias"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/somoscristianos.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Jesus-aprobo-las-oraciones-repetidas.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/somoscristianos.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/logo-sc_red_original160px.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"amazon":{"key":"amazon","url":"https:\/\/podcasters.amazon.com\/podcasts\/6e73db97-3f04-408e-9d35-fd4e33aab386","label":"Amazon","class":"amazon","icon":"amazon.png"},"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcastsconnect.apple.com\/my-podcasts\/show\/somos-cristianos-%E2%80%93-reflexiones-diarias-de-fe-y-vida\/974e0a64-92cf-4487-a0f4-ab30643d6813\/episodes","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"deezer":{"key":"deezer","url":"https:\/\/www.deezer.com\/us\/show\/1002657781","label":"Deezer","class":"deezer","icon":"deezer.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@SomosCristianos77\/podcasts","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"pandora":{"key":"pandora","url":"https:\/\/www.pandora.com\/podcast\/somos-cristianos-reflexiones-diarias-de-fe-y-vida\/PC:1001113906","label":"Pandora","class":"pandora","icon":"pandora.png"},"pocketcasts":{"key":"pocketcasts","url":"","label":"PocketCasts","class":"pocketcasts","icon":"pocketcasts.png"},"podcast_addict":{"key":"podcast_addict","url":"","label":"Podcast Addict","class":"podcast_addict","icon":"podcast-addict.png"},"podcast_de":{"key":"podcast_de","url":"","label":"Podcast.de","class":"podcast_de","icon":"podcast-de.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/2giZxrAdrZZwxeClZoNFoV","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/show\/1113906","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"tunein":{"key":"tunein","url":"","label":"TuneIn","class":"tunein","icon":"tunein.png"},"yandex":{"key":"yandex","url":"","label":"Yandex","class":"yandex","icon":"yandex.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@SomosCristianos77\/podcasts","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"},"iheartradio":{"key":"iheartradio","url":"","label":"iHeartRadio","class":"iheartradio","icon":"iheartradio.png"},"ivoox":{"key":"ivoox","url":"https:\/\/www.ivoox.com\/podcast-somoscristianos-org_sq_f13111753_1.html","label":"iVoox","class":"ivoox","icon":"ivoox.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/somoscristianos.org\/en\/feed\/podcast\/somos-cristianos-reflexiones-diarias","embedCode":"
The real question is: What kind of repetition is it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
That was living prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A person can repeat a psalm, a prayer, or a biblical phrase with real faith.
A person can sing a chorus over and over, worshiping with their heart each time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLord, bless this day\u2026\u201d
\u201cLord, take control\u2026\u201d
\u201cFather, we thank You\u2026\u201d
\u201cLord, protect us\u2026\u201d
\u201cLord, be with us\u2026\u201d
\u201cLord, we place this in Your hands\u2026\u201d
\u201cFather, You know\u2026\u201d
and we say them so many times that we no longer even realize what we\u2019re saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The problem is a disconnected heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Repeating mechanically, as a formula, without thinking, and believing that many words will make God listen more\u2014that is what Jesus corrected.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
God is not looking for perfect words to accept us.
God is looking for a true heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not the most decorated one.
It\u2019s not the most repeated one.
It\u2019s the one that comes from a surrendered, aware, and sincere heart before the Father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nSome say Jesus approved it\u2026 others say He condemned it. The truth is deeper than it seems.<\/p>\nDid Jesus approve repeated prayers or condemn vain repetition?<\/a><\/blockquote>