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

I fell yesterday. Physically, not spiritually. It’s been a long time since I’d hit the ground hard like that. I used to fall several times a day, a decade ago, following a neurological injury that left me deaf in one ear and often feeling dizzy. Doctors tried to diagnose it, but they never could. They prescribed medicine and sent me home.

The most helpful treatment was vestibular rehabilitation (balance training). Through repetition of a series of exercises, the connections between my brain and body were reinforced. I went from many falls a day to weeks and finally months between falls.

Yesterday’s fall resulted from squatting too long while observing my bees, then standing and turning all at once, instead of in two separate motions, as I’d been taught in balance training. I scraped a knee and banged an elbow, along with my cheekbone and forehead. I hadn’t done my vestibular exercises for a long time. And I wasn’t following the principles I’d been taught.

There’s a purpose behind repetition, whether it is for emphasis, validity, or retention. Drawing a line over and over darkens, deepens, and broadens it. This happens to the nerves in our brains and bodies too. What is initially softwired—a fleeting connection of neurons—becomes hardwired with repeated use.

Jesus often repeated himself. His story is told in four Gospels from different perspectives. He prayed the same hard Gethsemane prayer three times, using the same words. Repetition is good, and as I know well, helps with keeping balance.

Faith Step: Read a responsorial Psalm (like 118 or 136) out loud. Hear the rhythm of the repetition as you pray.