Paraclete , Sweet Unction.

                 Veni Creator -  stanza 2

Qui diceris Paraclitus,
altissimi donum Dei,                        
fons vivus, ignis, caritas,
et spiritalis unctio.

Thou who art called the Paraclete,
Best gift of God above,
The living spring, the living fire,
Sweet unction and true love.

[O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.]

[Thou art that Comfort from above,

The Highest doth by gift impart;
Thou spring of life, a fire of love,
And the anointing Spirit art.
Version by George Wither]

Translation by John Dryden

O, Source of uncreated Light,
The Father's promis'd Paraclete!
Thrice Holy Fount, thrice Holy Fire,
Our hearts with heav'nly love inspire;
Come, and thy Sacred Unction bring
To sanctify us, while we sing!

http://revjohnkc.blogspot.in/2010/08/paraclete-in-johns-gospel.html

Let us look a little deeper into the words "Paraclete" and "sweet unction" today.

Hopkins, the Jesuit poet has given a beautiful definition of "Paraclete"in one of his sermons ( preached on 25 April, 1882). Here is the relavant quote from the sermon:

[B]ut what is a Paraclete? often it is translated Comforter, but a Paraclete does more than comfort. The word is Greek; there is no one English word for it and no one Latin word, Comforter is not enough. A Paraclete is one who comforts, who cheers, who encourages, who persuades, who exhorts, who stirs up, who urges forward, who calls on; what the spur and word of command is to a horse, what clapping of hands is to a speaker, what a trumpet is to the soldier, that a Paraclete is to the soul: one who calls us on, that is what it means, a Paraclete is one who calls us on to good. One sight is before my mind, it is homely but it comes home: you have seen at cricket how when one of the batsmen at the wicket has made a hit and wants to score a run, the other doubts, hangs back or is ready to run in again, how eagerly the first will cry / Come on, come on! - a Paraclete is just that, something that cheers the spirit of man, with signals and with cries, all zealous that he should do something and full of assurance that if he will he can, calling him on, springing to meet him half way, crying to his ears or to his heart: This way to do God's will, this way to save your soul, come on, come on!

http://www.godsradioministry.com/home/index.php

?option=com_content&view=article&id=67:break-free&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=146

Now a note on "sweet unction":

"But you have an unction (or anointing) from the Holy One, and you know all things." -1 John 2:20.

Unction literally means "anointing".

Verse 27 says, "But the anointing which you have received of him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in him" .

The primary purpose of anointing with the holy anointing oil was to cause the anointed persons or objects to become qodesh – most holy (Exodus 30:29).
Originally the oil was used exclusively for the priests and the Tabernacle articles but was later extended to include prophets and kings (I Samuel 10:1). It was forbidden to be used on an outsider (Exodus 30:33) or to be used on the body of any common persons (Ex. 30:32a) and theIsraelites were forbidden to duplicate any like it for themselves (Ex. 30:32b).
The Christian Church has continued the practice of using holy anointing oil as a devotional practice, as well as in the liturgy.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_anointing_oil)

Here is a quote from the detailed study on the "unction" by J. C. Philpot ( http://www.biblebb.com/files/philpot/unction_of_the_holy_one.htm)

1. Oil is of a SOFTENING, suppling nature. It is applied to the body to soften and supple it. So spiritually, the unction, or anointing of the oil of the Holy Spirit makes the conscience tender. Wherever that unction comes, it takes away the heart of stone, and gives a heart of flesh. It removes impenitence, unbelief, waywardness, perverseness, self-righteousness, and self-conceit; it softens and supples and makes tender the heart and conscience, so as to fall under the power of the truth..........

2. Again, unction or anointing oil is of a PENETRATING nature. When ointment or oil is rubbed on anything it penetrates into the substance beneath. It does not lie on the surface; it penetrates below the surface into the very substance of that to which it is applied. So it is spiritually with respect to the unction of the Holy One on the heart and conscience. In the case of most people who have truth in the understanding, but it is not brought into the heart by divine power--the effect is superficial. There is no depth of vital experience in their hearts; thus they resemble the stony ground hearers of whom we read in the parable of the sower: .....

3. Again, unction, or oil is of a SPREADING nature. It diffuses itself, as it is termed. It is not confined to the little spot where it falls, but it extends itself in all directions. So it is with the unctuous teaching of the Blessed Spirit in a man's heart. It spreads itself through the soul. The Lord therefore compares it to leaven (Matt.13:33). How does leaven act? It is very small in itself, a little lump; but when put into the large mass of meal, it diffuses itself through every portion of it; so that not a single crumb of the loaf is unaffected by it.