The Paraclete from Heaven

From the Catholic Liturgy for the 6th Sunday of Easter, May 21, 2017 - John 14:15-21. The Promise of the Holy Spirit. This Sunday's Gospel comes from the middle of Jesus’ Farewell Discourse at the Last Supper and informs us about the mission of the Holy Spirit in the life of a disciple and in the Church at large. The word John used in his original Greek version, parakletos, is translated as paraclete in traditional Catholic vocabulary, but is most meaningfully rendered into modern American English as defense attorney or public defender. Other acceptable translations of this original Greek word can be: advocate, counselor, encourager, intercessor, helper but they all carry that same nuance of "someone with authority who attends up for us before others, particularly before those who accuse or persecute us." In other words, we are not in this alone. In our daily living of the Gospel, in our efforts to serve others, in our daily work carried out with a Christian example, in our conversations with peers and friends...the Spirit is ever-present ready to help us with the words and fortitude we need to witness Christ.

But here’s the thing: no matter how good or wise our Public Defender may be, it will be beneficial to us in court only to the extent that we listen to what he or she says and put their counsel into practice, right? Our defense attorney will tell us when to speak up and give our testimony; when to be quiet and just sit still and listen.  The very same hold true with the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit. He will tell us what to do, when to speak out and when to remain silent. Our witness to Christ will only be as fruitful and effective as is our listening to the Spirit and putting following His inspirations. And how to we do this? By prayer. Not just reciting prayers, but prayer of the heart, being still before the Lord, asking for advice and then listening in the silence of our hearts. And we need to do this every day for at least a short bit of time.

Today’s Liturgy also links to the Sacrament of Confirmation, which is indeed, along with Baptism and Eucharist, an Easter Sacrament. As a matter of fact, the great solemnity of Pentecost which closes up the Easter Season is considered the first "confirmation" of the Catholic Church! And today’s first reading, where Peter & John lay hands of newly baptized Christians and confer the Holy Spirit, is the classic New Testament text used to illustrate Confirmation in the early Church. And Confirmation is above all the sacrament of mission, of witness, of giving testimony to Christ by our words and behavior. So we can easily see its connection to the Spirit as Paraclete. So, on this 6^th Sunday of Easter, let’s renew our Confirmation and recommit ourselves to follow the wisdom and advice of our Personal Defender, the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us. Let’s open hearts to his guidance and follow his inspirations so that others may come to know and believe that Jesus is risen and desires to reign as Lord in every human heart.