Jesus prays on the night before his death
From the Gospel of John, chapter 17, verses 1-11
(With thanks to The Message by Eugene Peterson)
On the night before he died, Jesus got together with his best friends. He loved them very, very much, and he knew that they were feeling scared and sad.
He showed his friends how much he loved them by washing their feet and by sharing a meal with them. He told them that he would be going to live with God forever, and that someday they would live with God forever, too. In the meantime, he told them he wanted them to take care of each other and anyone else who was suffering in any way. He told them that the Spirit would always be with them to help them and guide them.
When Jesus was finished talking with his friends, he began to talk with God. This is what he said:
"Father, the time we have been preparing for is finally here. Let the glory of your Son be on full display, so that the Son can show how magnificent you are - the only true God who has been present since before the world existed.
Father, I have made you known to all the people you gave me. They were yours in the first place, then you gave them to me. Now they know, without any doubt, that everything about me is because of you - what I have said, what I have done - everything. They believe that, God.
Now I am praying for them. I am not going to be in this world much longer, but they will be here. Holy Father, protect them, so that they can be of one heart and mind, as you and I are one heart, one mind."