She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 35)

Conchita with her mother, Anacita and brother's Miguel, Aniceto & Serafin.

The parents of Marí Cruz, Escolástico and Pilar, did not appear to have the same level of enthusiasm . . . As for the family of Conchita:

My mother really believed, without doubting anything.
How much we talked on that Sunday!
My brothers really believed insofar as they saw, and not only did they believe, but also it made them quite spiritual as it made many people.

Good sign! The affair was more than just something exciting, a remarkable change in the ordinary routine of country living. It was producing an impact on consciences and leading to a revision of ideas and conduct, awakening the need to become better.
There were people who liked what happened on that Sunday.
And there were others who were not impressed.
In our daily life, we did what our parents told us to do.

It is striking with what frequency Conchita repeats in many passages of her diary the fact that they applied themselves above all to fulfill the obligations of obedience.
Surely the obedience mentioned by Conchita had its foundation in the solid upbringing received in the families with Christian tradition; the contacts with
the Angel and meetings with the Virgin could not but strengthen that way of acting. During those extraordinary sessions of instruction—the ecstasies—
following teaching not invented by man, time would not be allotted for dissertation on a person’s rights, on the requirements of one’s own personality, on
liberty. On the contrary, almost always would be taught the old doctrines of self-denial, taking up the cross each day, and of being submissive as the One who for love ended up, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. (Phil. 2:9)
For this reason, it never occurred to the girls to oppose the recommendations of their elders in age, position, or authority by using the excuses used by many today to escape bothersome discipline such as, You don’t understand us. You belong to another century. Those old-fashioned ideas are passé.
They obeyed and offered up the sacrifice, knowing that the way to God is by renunciation and sacrifice, that the chores and duties of each day are more important, though many times less satisfying , than anything else, even the moments of paradise in the calleja.
In our daily lives we did what our parents told us.
The ultimate instruction.
But duty did not take up all the hours of the day.
In the afternoon when we left the school, (5:00 P.M.) as we had spent a very happy Sunday, July 2nd, and as we already had such a desire to see her again (The Virgin), we went there; (the calleja) and we began to say the rosary.
We were alone.
And when we had finished and hadn’t seen her, we said nothing at the time.
We weren’t surprised, nor were we sad, as she could still come later.
Then, since she hadn’t come, we went to our homes and did what we were told to do at home.