ISB ~ Matthew 6 v7

empty phrases … many words:Jesus briefly considers the false religiosity of Gentiles. Pagans would recite long litanies of divine names to gain the attention of gods. This was meant to ensure that the deity was addressed properly. Jesus considers the practice empty—i.e., devoid of faith and of love for the deity. Note that his warning is not aimed at repetitious or lengthy prayer in itself. With a pure heart, such prayer can be fruitful and intimate. Jesus himself prayed to the Father in Gethsemane three times “saying the same words” (26:44) and “all night” (Lk 6:12) before choosing the apostles (CCC 2668).