3-Point Mass prep: What’s a Paraclete? And how is God the Paraclete?

The term has many meanings. It shows God's great love for us.

The Gospel for this Sunday is John 14:15-21

1 Introduction

Jesus announced that after His departure, God the Father would send a Paraclete – the Holy Spirit. This is a term that has many meanings. It shows God’s great love for us.

2 Keywords

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth”

The Greek parakletos (παρακλητος) is a word used in ancient judiciary to describe a person assisting the accused. Its task was to provide legal assistance. A parakletos was therefore a defender, an advocate, or an intercessor, a helper. There is another, very important meaning hidden in the word Paraclete – the comforter.

The Paraclete then is the Holy Spirit. He supports us on the path of faith. He justifies us while Satan accuses us. As well, the Holy Spirit comforts us and does not allow us to give in to despair or discouragement. So many meanings hidden in the word Paraclete well reflect the God’s love for man.

Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me.

And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.

Jesus is not talking about abstract things; he is very concrete. If we wonder if we love God, we must ask ourselves if we keep his commandments. Keeping God’s commandments is evidence of love for God.

3 Today

Sometimes in religion classes, children write the Commandments on an image of the heart. God gave us these commandments because He loves us. How do I respond to God’s love in my daily life? Is my love for God and people abstract or is it expressed in concrete ways?