Paraclete!

John 14:15-21

“If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Paraclete so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!

“I will not leave you orphaned. I’m coming back. In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you’re going to see me because I am alive and you’re about to come alive. At that moment you will know absolutely that I’m in my Father, and you’re in me, and I’m in you.

“The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him.”

Food for thought!

I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Paraclete so that you will always have someone with you.

What is a Paraclete? Many words have been used to translate this word into English. They include: Advocate, Comforter, Counsellor, Helper. Basically, Paraclete means someone who is called to stand beside a client. In legal terms that would be your attorney. But a Paraclete is much more than an attorney. Probably the English word that we use today that most nearly captures the meaning of Paraclete is the word “coach.” 

The Paraclete is our coach, always by our side, to instruct and correct us when we make mistakes, to encourage and motivate us when we feel down, to challenge and inspire us to be the best we could, to defend us and fight for our rights when the judges are unfair to us. In short, the Paraclete means for us all that Jesus meant for the disciples. That is why Jesus is saying that "I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Paraclete so that you will always have someone with you."

Why do we need a Paraclete? For the same reason that athletes and sports people need coaches. No matter how good they are, sports people always need coaches. Even the best athletes need a coach. Left on our own, we are prone to mistakes and errors. Without God we can do nothing. Jesus knows it and tells us in today’s gospel that we all stand in constant need of divine help. We all need the divine Helper, the Holy Spirit who stands always by our side, the Paraclete.

Did you notice the small word, "another"? It means another of the same kind or quality. Jesus was a Comforter Himself, but the Spirit of God is Another Comforter. One just like Jesus. Jesus is giving us another Jesus! Jesus was able to abide with the Disciples for 3 years. Now that he is going away He will not abide with them as before; He shall abide in them through the Spirit. 

One purpose of the Spirit in our lives is to instruct us in the things of God. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches about the Bible. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the deep things of God unto us. It is He the Holy Spirit who teaches us how to reach our fullest potential for the glory of God. He is a divine Instructor!

When you feel as though your life is falling apart, it’s really just falling into place, thanks to the Paraclete. Remember Joseph of old: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. (Genesis 50:20). For that reason, I am glad that when I do not understand what is going to happen, when it seems that everything is falling apart, when I don't know which way to turn, I can count on my Paraclete. To him be the glory and the power and the praise, both now and forever. Amen.