Posted on 03/18/2014 2:14:03 AM PDT by markomalley
Not the Church that Jesus lead me to.
I envy you for receiving a thoughtful reply, something I haven’t experienced in this conversation. Yes you found a biblical source for the prayers but my question was about the 59 beads and the near endless repetition along with the wholly made up mysteries etc. Can you provide chapter and verse that supports that practice?
As for my beliefs, I never actually asked you about yours; you offered information unbidden. I’m too well raised to ask such a question, apparently you’re not.
Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17)When not pulling the beads you can always say the Jesus' prayer under your breath:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner
The beads, however, help to set a meditative mood and rhythm. The different texture of the Our Father beads free the mind from the need to keep count. The repetition creates a sense of harmony that comes with any rhythmic activity; the mind becomes receptive to the experience of grace. St. Dominic is a genius.
The Mysteries of the Rosary are well established events of the New Testament that are of mysterious nature. You are not familiar with either of them or with some of them? Just ask.
There is nothing wrong with sharing your faith. If you have a true faith, you will win converts, and if you don't, you might be persuaded to broaden your mind. Certainly we Catholics have a direct commandment to explain and defend our faith:
Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15)sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts, being ready always to satisfy every one that asketh you a reason of that hope which is in you (1 Peter 3:15)
I made a mistake in my previous post; it was Archangel Gabriel, not Michael, who came to Mary. You can tell I have a war on my mind.
Matthew 6:7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
The Greek for *vain repetitions*
http://biblehub.com/greek/945.htm
battalogeó: to stammer Original Word: βαττολογέω Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: battalogeó
Phonetic Spelling: (bat-tol-og-eh'-o)
Short Definition: I chatter, utter empty words
Definition: I chatter, am long-winded, utter empty words, stammer, repeat.
HELPS Word-studies
945 battologéō – properly, to blubber nonsensical repetitions; to chatter (be "long-winded"), using empty (vain) words (Souter).
How is reciting the events of the Gospel “vain” or “empty phrases”?
Fifty Hail Mary’s on a rosary certainly qualifies as *repetitions*.
And since she’s just a human, she can’t answer prayer anyway, so it’s vain, a useless waste of time.
There is no “repetition” in Matthew 6:7. It speaks of “babbling” like the pagans, and explains that it is wrong to think that God needs many words. Of course we repeat prayers, — but they are meaningful prayers that remind us of the Holy Gospel, and often cite it directly.
Reciting canned prayers to other dead people is not asking God for anything.
It’s meaningless repetition.
It may feel good, but it accomplishes nothing if not directed to God, making requests or intercession TO HIM.
Thanks for your opinion, I’ll stick what the Holy Church teaches about prayer
Luke 11:1-13 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Matthew 6:5-15 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Regarding repetitions:
[Jesus] went again: and he prayed the third time, saying the selfsame word. (Matthew 26:44)
Regarding repeating prayer:
[The judge said:] I will avenge her, lest continually coming she weary me. And the Lord said: Hear what the unjust judge saith. And will not God revenge his elect who cry to him day and night (Luke 18:5-7)
Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
It is a good idea also to read the Holy Scripture every once in a while, and if you don't understand what you read, ask someone who is Catholic.
Those verses don’t advocate mindlessly repeating canned prayers like mantras.
What I need and want constantly changes so when I talk to God, I constantly say different things, depending on what I need.
If I don’t understand what I read, I ask the HOLY SPIRIT, not some man.
Catholics don’t pray “mindlessly” and saying a fixed prayer does not exclude spontaneous prayers and petitions based on current needs.
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