In the Gospel we are taken back to the Last Supper. The prayer Jesus prays is known as the priestly and royal prayer of Jesus, and is the most solemn prayer of Jesus in the New Testament. Jesus prays not only for Himself but for His disciples and for all His followers who will come in the future.
Prayer is not always easy and sometimes it can feel as if we are talking to ourselves or a brick wall. Jesus, in His prayer, shows His desire for us to be faithful and for us to persevere even when faced with great difficulty.
Sometimes a formula for payer can help us, and within our liturgy it is good that we know what the formula is so we can all participate. What also matters, however, is that in our personal prayer we find the words that mean something to us, that make sense to us and enable us to grow in faith and in our relationship with our loving God.