Repetition has a bad reputation in our fast-paced world. We hunger for novelty, always looking for the next new experience or piece of information. Yet anyone who has spent time with children knows that repetition is one of life’s most powerful teachers. A child asks for the same bedtime story every night, savoring every familiar detail with unwavering delight. It’s not just nostalgia — they’re building patterns, reinforcing connections, and finding comfort in predictability. Repetition, far from being monotonous, is one of the essential ways we learn and grow.
This principle applies not only to children, but to adults as well. Consider Sunday Mass: For many, attending Mass each week can feel like yet another chore -- an obligation constantly in danger of becoming another “check mark” on your weekly list. But repetition, at least in this context, isn’t about routine for its own sake. It serves a purpose that goes beyond mere habit -- repetition makes us dig more deeply into something.
The weekly celebration of the Eucharist, for instance, allows us to return again and again to the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. Repetition here becomes a means of contemplating the infinite, deepening our relationship with God and community over time.
Orienting our lives toward truth
Most religious and philosophical traditions value this rhythm of repetition, understanding it as a way of orienting our lives to enduring truths. The liturgical calendar, the daily prayers, the Rosary -- all these practices are ways of recognizing that life is not a matter of novelty alone. It is mostly about sustained, repeated engagement with our own limitations, flaws, and potentialities. Far from being a prison, repetition can be liberating, giving us space to focus on what really matters.
Even outside religious contexts, repetition over time offers profound benefits. Routines like regular exercise, journaling, or reading help build discipline and allow us to see growth over time. Repetition (as Aristotle clearly puts it) builds mastery, allowing us to perform tasks with greater skill and understanding.
While change and novelty have their place, repetition provides a solid foundation. In an ever-changing world, the steady rhythm of returning to something familiar (whether a prayer, a ritual, or a habit) offers stability. In its own way, repetition is a path to wisdom.
