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To: sandyeggo; XeniaSt; N3WBI3
Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions
The key word is vain. Jesus refers in the same chapter to vanity in almsgiving and vanity in fasting. The lesson is the same in all three: what is done for the sake of show has already gotten its base reward - there is no heavenly reward. Jesus is not saying that almsgiving, fasting or repeating a prayer is proscribed, only those tainted by vanity or desire for human approbation.

Sandy, vain and vanity are not the same words, they have different meanings, vain means empty , useless as in "he tried in vain to do something".

In the case of vain repetitions the greek is translated
1) to stammer 2) to repeat the same things over and over, to use many idle words, to babble, prate. Some suppose the word derived from Battus, a king of Cyrene, who is said to have stuttered; others from Battus, an author of tedious and wordy poems.

The pagans often used mantras much like people use in yoga or other hindi practice.

Things like the rosary qualify as vain repetition. Catholics admit they are not really consecrating on the prayers, but are meditating on the "mysteries." The words are simply repetitive from memory if that is true.

125 posted on 06/05/2007 5:47:37 PM PDT by ears_to_hear
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To: ears_to_hear

** not really consecrating**

I don’t think any of us can consecrate anything. That is the job of the priest.

I think you probably mean concentrating.

And, no, the prayer of the Rosary is not in vain. You have no idea of the benefits of saying the Rosary. For instance, have you ever heard the story about keeping the Muslims away by saying the Rosary? I will post the links in the next post to you.

Please do not try to put words into the mouths of Catholics and assume what we believe according to Catholic tradition.


130 posted on 06/05/2007 5:53:32 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: ears_to_hear
Lepanto is just one reason to say the Rosary:

Lepanto, 1571: The Battle That Saved Europe

Celebrating the Battle of Lepanto

Clash of civilizations: Battle of Lepanto revisited

Lepanto, Bertone e Battesimo, Oh My!

Lepanto Sunday

Our Lady of the Rosary of La Naval (A Mini-Lepanto in the Philippines)

Swiss Guards at the Battle of Lepanto, 7 October 1571

Battle of Lepanto

LEPANTO, 7 OCTOBER 1571: The Defense of Europe

Battle of Lepanto

Remember Lepanto!

The Battle of Lepanto

On This Day In History, The Battle of Lepanto

The Battle of Lepanto

Chesterton's Lepanto

The Miracle At Lepanto...

Lepanto

The Naval Battle of Lepanto

The Battle of Lepanto

Call to Prayer 12:00 EST 17 November: This Lepanto Moment [Read only]

A Call To Prayer: This Lepanto Moment[Read only]

132 posted on 06/05/2007 5:54:56 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: ears_to_hear
Catholics admit they are not really consecrating on the prayers, but are meditating on the "mysteries." The words are simply repetitive from memory if that is true.

You're merely speculating with no data, and in point of fact you're wrong. (I hope you really mean "concentrating" and not "consecrating".)

If you say the Rosary in the Bavarian manner (as I was taught to do years ago), the Mystery goes into the pause in the Hail Mary, and you say it aloud so that it changes the meaning and is part of the recitation. So the Hail Mary changes with every decade.

133 posted on 06/05/2007 5:57:56 PM PDT by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
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To: ears_to_hear

Meditating on the mysteries... more like waiting for the time to pass.

When I was a RCC altar boy, I’d often have to “serve” during special prayer meetings (usually noveena’s). Other than a few introductory comments by the priest, EVERY prayer was a canned prayer, and often we prayed the rosary. The meeting seemed more like a race to see who could mumble the words fastest, and nobody beat the blue-haired old widows wearing way too much perfume. To this day I can walk into a RCC mass and whip off the prayers with no thought whatsoever. AND IT’S BEEN OVER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS since I was in the RCC


213 posted on 06/05/2007 9:04:08 PM PDT by pjr12345 (I'm a Christian Conservative Republican, NOT a Republican Conservative Christian.)
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