On the Lord's Prayer 30

But the Lord prayed and asked not for himself (for what would the innocent one pray for on his own behalf?) but for our sins, as he himself declares when he says to Peter: "See, Satan asked to trouble you like wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail." And afterwards he entreats the Father for all, saying: "But I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us." Great is God's kindness and goodness alike for our salvation, that, not content to redeem us with his blood, he should pray for us still more. But see what the desire of him who prayed was: that as the Father and the Son are one, so we too should remain in that very unity; so that from this too it may be understood how greatly he sins who splits unity and peace, since the Lord prayed for this very thing, wishing, of course, that his people should live, since he knew that discord does not come to the kingdom of God.