Jesus prays for us

Dawn over the Sea of Galilee 2009

"Father, I pray not only for these

but for those also

who through their words will believe in me"

These words from John 17 are part of today's Gospel. I think that they are some of the most profound and encouraging in Scripture. Why? Well, think about it. What could be more important than realising that Jesus, at the Last Supper, was praying for me and for you. We, hopefully, are some of 'those will believe in me'.  To use that word of today's English - amazing!

Here was Jesus the night before he died. He is giving what our Archbishop called on Sunday here his "parting address". He teaches the apostles at some length. And then something special happens - the teaching becomes praying, as he prays for the apostles sitting around him. Finally, in the passage which begins with these words, he looks to the future - to us - and prays for all his followers in that unknown land of what was to come

When we feel down, isolated, fearful or anything else, now or at any time, let's remember that not only did he promise to be with us "till the end of time" but that on that precious night before his death, he also prayed for you and for me.