One of the meanings of the Greek word Paraclete is Comforter.  (My computer’s spellcheck   insists that Jesus prayed for the Father to send a Parakeet.) To me a comforter is a soft and light blanket into which I snuggle enveloping me with a warm sense of security against the chill of the night or the chill of a fevered body.

Martin Luther writes that as the Comforter, the Holy Spirit is carrying out His nature character and ministry.  “To us He is called a Comforter, and a comforter is one who makes a sad heart glad and joyful towards God and tells you to be of good cheer for your sins are forgiven, death is slain, heaven is open and God smiles upon you.  Whoever could grasp this…would have already won the victory and would not find or see anything but sheer comfort and joy in heaven and on earth.”

I wonder if we think of God as our Father, and Jesus as the Father’s Son, might we also think of the work of God, the Holy Spirit, in the sense of our Mother, enveloping us in the softness and tenderness of her body.  Another aspect of the Paraclete is Helper leading me to think of the creation of the woman in the garden of Eden to be a helpmate, companion and comforter to the man.

Perhaps we might think of the God, the almighty Father, creating, providing and defending.  Jesus Christ, the only Son, born of a woman who is drafted to go off to war against sin, death and the devil and is killed in front line action, rising again on the third day.  The Holy Spirit who comforts us by enveloping us in the family of saints, telling us of the forgiveness of our sins that we might look forward to the resurrection of our body and life everlasting.