She Went in Haste to the Mountain (Page 104)

“He will see on October 18th.”

Something Great Is
On Its Way . . .

The marvels of Garabandal which were occurring daily,(3) and which seemed to be acquiring a rhythm in crescendo, were holding an ever increasing number of people in suspense.
Besides, special things were happening . . .

On the 6th of September Fr. Valentín, by means of Conchita in the normal state, proposed several questions to Loli in ecstasy. Later Conchita passed mentally this double question to her companion:
— Father Valentín can only say, I don't know, I don't know what this is . . .

Response (learned later): A broad and benevolent smile from the Blessed Virgin.

— Father Valentín also says, What does the Virgin want with all this?

Response: He will see on October 18th.

What was going to happen on the approaching day of October 18th? The girls were talking of a secret that could not be revealed until that day . . . They spoke of a message that had to be made public on that date.
And yet the most interesting part was occurring between them and the mysterious persons in their apparitions. From time to time a statement escaped that stirred up the people's imagination and anticipation. For example, their rare illusions to a future miracle that would convince everyone . . .
«How beautiful is the miracle!» — Conchita was heard to say in an ecstasy on September 3rd — «How I would like you to perform it soon! Why haven't you done it already? Do it, even if it would be only for those who believe . . . For those who don't believe, it doesn't matter.»(4)
Who would not figure that October 18th, so heralded in the mysterious designs of Garabandal, would be truly a spectacular day?

However, there were warnings from the girls that should have put some brake on this unwarranted expectation.
In Book One we saw that Plácido Ruiloba's father-in-law made a summer visit to Garabandal.
«The day after» — testified Mr. Ruiloba — «my father-in-law together with two of my children met Mari Loli. And being very excited by what he had seen on the previous day, he said goodbye to the girl like this, Until October 18th. That day I'll return, since I think there's going to be a miracle and many people will come.
— Please! — replied Loli emphatically — Please! Don't bother to come. No miracle is going to happen. At least we haven't predicted one. The only thing that we have said is that we are going to give a message, and you can find out about this in Santander, without the necessity of traveling. Listen well, I beg you. We never predicted a miracle.»

__________

In spite of remarks like this, the people continued in their hopes, confusing their own desires and ideas with what actually was going to happen.

3. The extraordinary phenomena were coming so regularly each day that in the history of Garabandal October 6th is listed as an exceptional day because on that day nothing happened. And October 8th also was exceptional, because only Jacinta, at midnight and in her home, had an apparition.
October 8th, Sunday, Loli stayed in bed because of a bad cold, and Conchita and Mari Cruz took advantage of a car to go down to Cossío. When they returned, the time for the rosary in the church had passed. The trip down to the neighboring village must not have been completely justified, since it seems that Conchita later went in search of Jacinta to request her, if she would see the Virgin, not to forget to ask pardon in her name for having missed the rosary.
This is a matter for reflection and meditation by anyone who would miss a holy service, especially Sunday Mass, for whatever pretext or without a pretext.

4. According to the notes of Father Valentín, on the night of September 3rd and 4th, Jacinta, Loli and Conchita had a spectacular ecstasy, very moving and very prolonged. Until 3 o’clock in the morning, the three girls were lying down in front of the door of the church, forming a group of singular devotion and beauty. It was then when Conchita was heard to say these words about the miracle.