Catholic Vocab Word of the Week - “Paraclete”

Paraclete is an English word that comes from the Koine Greek word παράκλητος (paráklētos). It is a combination of para ('beside/alongside') and kalein ('to call'). It literally means "someone who comes alongside".

It appears five times in the New Testament's Johannine texts. (Gospel of John 14:16, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7, and First Epistle of John chapter 2, verse 1.)

In the Bible, paraclete specifically refers to the Holy Spirit as the one who provides comfort and support to believers.

"According to the Gospel of John, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, also known as the Paraclete, to comfort and guide his disciples after his departure."

In John 14:16, it is written "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever".

In this passage, Jesus comforts his disciples by promising the Holy Spirit to help them after he ascends to heaven. The Holy Spirit is referred to as the "Spirit of Truth" and is a "helper" who will guide and support believers on their spiritual journey.

I really like this idea that the Holy Spirit comes alongside me when I need Him. One of my closest friends once told me that he imagines the Paraclete is like the forcefield around the spaceship from the old TV show, Lost in Space. He’s a real sci-fi nerd!

However you imagine the Holy Spirit to be, we should all be eternally grateful for His presence in our lives.

Credit to:

Merriam-Webster

Christianity.com