THE  PARACLETE

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 6^th Sunday after Easter is, “The Paraclete.”

That’s the word for the Spirit given us in John 16:7 I prefer to stick with that word, “paracletos”,  because the translation of this Greek word into English and other languages - are limiting.

To translate the word “paracletos” from the original Greek into English,  I read words like Advocate, Comforter, Consoler, Helper, Presence, Defense, Encourager, the One Who Speaks for Me, the One who Helps Me Stand on my own two feet, the Inner Voice who challenges me.

Our New American Bible uses “Advocate” - to translate “paracletos”.

I picture someone in a hospital with tubes and pills and in a semi-coma - and they need someone to be there as their patient advocate - patiently - not obnoxiously - watching out for us.

I see someone in trouble with the law or their kid is - and we know a good lawyer who will be there to protect us in our troubles - to be our advocate, our paraclete

So advocate is a good word - comforter is also - because we do feel comfort with a good advocate or counselor or adviser

But Paraclete means so much more.

That’s what the Holy Spirit is - and more. The Holy Spirit is God - this Spirit of Jesus

So in these days leading up to Pentecost, this is what we are praying for: the Paraclete.

We can add, this is what we pray for, every day of our life.

That’s why I like the old prayer, “Come Holy Spirit.”

In moments of worry, that prayer is great - to be praying, consciously - semi-consciously - unconsciously underneath our worries - underneath our problems - underneath the cloud we’re under.

Come Holy Spirit.

I assume that’s the prayer to sing inwardly till it becomes second nature, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Like our breathing, most of the time we’re not conscious of our breathing - or our breath - "ruah" - the Hebrew word for “spirit”.  It’s the wind - the breath -in the air.

Or get the Taize version in Latin, “Veni Creator Spiritus.”

Or type into Google, “Veni Creator Spiritus” Taize and sing along with that chant - and make it our own - and we’ll be praying for our advocate, the Paraclete to be with us always. Amen.

As Jesus is promising in these readings in the gospel of John - especially about the Paraclete, or the advocate, or the Spirit of Jesus breaching and living in us.