[malakhi]

I see your point, but I still don't quite see how you justify the repetition when Jesus specifically said not to.

Jesus said to avoid vain repetition. Jesus was a Jew, and attended synagogue. He would have participated in the liturgical prayer of worship, which of course is repeated from service to service. Consider also

So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. (Matthew 26:44)

This was Jesus at prayer, praying that, if possible, the cup be passed from him. Was this vain repetition? One more example:

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all round and within, and day and night they never cease to sing, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!" (Revelation 5:8)

[SoothingDave]

So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. (Matthew 26:44)

Thanks, angelo. I'm sure we aren't reading this right. ;-)

SD

[hopefulpilgrim]

I think the instruction about not praying with "vain repititions" WOULD apply to reciting the rosary. IMO, the Lord used the word, "vain," for emphasis; that is, to emphasize the fact that such repititious recitations ARE useless. It seems to me that the whole first half of the chapter could be a fitting description of some catholic practices...such as, practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them, praying in public to be seen by men, the repitition in their prayers, announcing their fasts, wearing a soot mark on their forehead.