Chapter 40: For the, Vigil and Feast of Pentecost. Of the gifts of the Holy Ghost — And other exercises for this day

As St. Gertrude prayed very devoutly, on the Vigil of Pentecost, that she might be prepared to receive the Holy Ghost, she heard our Lord saying these words to her in teriorly with great love : " You will receive the virtue of the Holy Spirit, which is coming to you." But while she felt extreme joy and satisfaction at these words, she thought also of her utter unworthiness, and it appeared to her as if a cave was made in her heart, which became deeper and deeper as this sentiment of unworthiness in creased in her soul. Then she saw a stream of honey coining forth from the Heart of Jesus, and distilling itself into hers, until it was entirely filled. By this she under stood that it was the unction and grace of the Holy Ghost which flowed thus sweetly from the Heart of the Son of God into the hearts of the faithful.

Then the Son of God blessed this cave with His Divine Hand, as the baptismal font * is blessed, so that each time her soul entered therein it might be purified from every stain. As she rejoiced at this holy benediction, she said to our Lord : " Alas, my Lord ! unworthy sinner that I am, I confess with grief that, through my frailty, I have offended in many ways against Thy Omnipotence, and that my ignorance and malice have often offended against Thy wisdom and goodness. Therefore, 0 Father of Mercies, have mercy on me, and give me strength from Thy strength to resist all that is contrary to Thy will ; give me grace from Thy inconceivable wisdom to avoid all that may offend Thy pure Eyes, and enable me to adhere faithfully to Thee by Thy superabundant mercy, so that I may never depart from Thy will in the very least degree."

As she said these words, she appeared to be plunged into this cave to be regenerated therein, so that she came forth purified from every stain, and whiter than snow ; and being presented thus before the Divine Majesty, she put herself under the protection of all the saints, as a newly baptized person is placed in the care of their sponsors, that they might pray to God for her. Then all the saints offered their merits to God very joyfully, in satisfaction for her negligences and needs. St. Gertrude, being thus adorned, was placed by our Lord Himself before Him, so that His

Divine breath entered into her soul, uniting her will efficaciously to His, and saying to her: "Such are the delights which I enjoy with the children of men;" for the respirations of her soul indicated her good-will, and the breath of our Lord His acceptance of her good intentions and desires. Thus Gertrude reposed sweetly in the arms of her Spouse, waiting until He should impart to her more perfect dispositions for the reception of the Holy Ghost.

As she offered some special prayers to obtain from God the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and first for the gift of fear, that it might keep her from evil, our Lord appeared to plant a very high tree in the centre of her heart, which extended its branches so as to cover it entirely. This tree had little spikes, from which grew very beautiful flowers. The spikes signified the gift of the fear of the Lord, which pricks the soul with compunction when it is inclined to evil ; the flowers indicated the good-will which, joined to the fear of God, fortifies the soul against sin ; and if man avoids evil and performs good actions, the tree produces fruit.

Then, as she asked for the other gifts, they were shown to her under the form of trees, differing in their fruits, according to the different virtues. A kind of dew dis tilled from the trees of knowledge and piety, from which she understood that those who apply themselves to these two virtues are watered by a gentle rain, which makes them flower and bear fruit. The trees of the gift of coun sel and fortitude had little cords of gold, which signified that these gifts rendered the soul capable of compre-

Lending spiritual things. Streams of delicious nectar flowed from the trees of wisdom and understanding; from which she learned that God pours Himself forth efficaciously on the soul by these gifts, and that it thus becomes satiated with the sweetness of His love.

That night, at Matins, as the Saint felt an extreme debility, which made her think that she could not live long, she said to our Lord : " What honour and what glory canst Thou gain from a miserable creature like me, who can only remain so short a time at the Office?" Our Lord replied : " In order that sensible things may assist you to understand those which are spiritual, consider that a bride groom finds the greatest pleasure in the most familiar intercourse with his bride ; and I assure you that no bride groom ever found more satisfaction in the endearments of his bride, than I do whenever My elect offer Me their hearts, purified from all sin, that I may take my delight therein." As she approached to receive Holy Communion, our Lord refreshed her heart by a Divine exhalation, which came forth from His sacred Limbs, and which gave her ineffable pleasure ; God making known to her that she had merited to receive the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit by her earnest prayers.

After she had communicated, she offered the whole life of Jesus Christ to God the Father, in satisfaction for her fault in never having made a sufficiently worthy prepara tion to receive Him into her heart, even from the hour of her regeneration in baptism. Then she saw the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove, descending from heaven upon the ador able Sacrament, with an impetuous flight like that of an eagle ; and seeking the sweet Heart of Jesus, He appeared to enter therein, and find there a most agreeable abode.

As the hymn Veni Creator was chanted at Terce, our

Lord appeared to her, and opened His Heart, full of sweetness and tenderness, to her. Gertrude knelt before it, inclining so that her head rested in the centre of His Heart ; and her Spouse took her head and pressed it to Him self, uniting her will to His, and sanctifying it. At the second verse, Qui, Paraclitus diciris she placed the hands of her soul,t that is, her actions, in the Heart of Jesus, and obtained consolations which so fortified her in her exercises of piety, that all which she performed henceforth could not fail to be most acceptable to God.

At the third verse, Tu septiformis gratia (sic), she placed the feet of her soul, that is, her desires, in the Sacred Heart, and thereby obtained their sanctification.

At the fourth verse, Accende lumen sensibus, she recom mended her senses to God, and obtained this promise — that they should be so illuminated as to reflect their light upon the senses of others, who should be thereby excited to love God.

At the fifth verse, Hostem repellas, our Lord inclined towards her, and embraced her, to shield her against all the attacks of her enemies ; and in all this she experienced such satisfaction in her soul as to understand clearly what our Lord had said to her on the preceding day : " You shall receive the virtue of the Holy Ghost, which will come to you."