The apostles were certainly in a worthy condition to receive the Holy Ghost; they received Him in His fulness, and the effects of His coming were soon manifest in them. They could no longer contain themselves in silence in that upper chamber; they were compelled to give utterance to the truth. They received the gifts of the Holy Ghost, gifts which are the result of the enlightenment coming from the Spirit of God. We do not receive the Holy Ghost in the form of fiery tongues at Confirmation, but we receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, piety, fortitude, and fear of the Lord. Let us see what these gifts are, that we may know that we possess them, and by our study develop them, that they may not remain idle in our souls. We must stir up the grace that is in us; we must, during this month, pray that these gifts may find opportunities for exercise. The apostles showed in their lives that these gifts were theirs in all perfection. In a lesser or greater degree we may possess them also, for these virtues should be in every Christian soul as a result of the visitation of the Holy Spirit. Prayer. Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, etc., etc. Nineteenth Day. The gift of understanding enables us to appreciate the beauty of all revealed truths. It is not like faith, by which we implicitly accept God’s revelation, but it gives us the reasons for making an act of faith; it will show us that our faith is true, because it shows us on what foundation the truth rests. Even after Our Lord’s resurrection the disciples showed that they did not understand what they had been told. They did not understand the Scriptures, for Our Lord had to upbraid the apostles for their incredulity and hardness of heart. Did He not reproach the two disciples returning to Emmaus with a slowness of understanding, because they were still wavering in the faith of the crucified Jesus? The apostles needed the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, in order to comprehend the Scriptures and the prophecies made concerning their Master. The gift of understanding shows us the necessity of virtues in ourselves, so that we may be willing to study them and to acquire them; it shows us the goodness of others and makes us appreciate their labors; it gives us insight into the order of things, that we may submit ourselves to authority and be docile to the teachings of the Church. Prayer. Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, etc., etc. Twentieth Day.