The interesting 14th apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes

In 1858, the Mother of God appeared 18 times to St. Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France.  The miraculous spring which resulted from those apparitions is famous all over the world. 

On the day when St. Bernadette expected to receive the 14th visit from Our Lady, a crowd of thousands had gathered to watch as Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette.  (The crowd of thousands couldn’t see Our Lady, but they had gathered because at past apparitions they had sensed the reality of the supernatural and had seen the appearance of the miraculous spring at Lourdes after the 9th apparition.) 

On this particular morning, however, Our Lady didn’t appear to St. Bernadette.  Bernadette was disappointed, but later in the day she felt impelled to travel back to the grotto where Our Lady usually appeared to her.  Bernadette was only accompanied by a few people when she went back to the grotto (unlike in the morning), and she saw Our Lady again.  Later on Bernadette explained to her cousin Jeanne-Marie why Our Lady didn’t appear to her in the morning.  Jeanne-Marie relates their conversation:

Jeanne-Marie: “‘I have heard that you did not see the Lady this morning.  It’s possible that you will not see her tomorrow either.’  She answered me:  ‘But I did see her during the day.’  I asked her: ‘Why did you not see her this morning?’  She replied that the Lady had told her: ‘You did not see me this morning because there were some people there who wished to see what you look like in my presence, and they are unworthy of it: they spent the night at the grotto and they dishonored it.’” (Abbe Francois Trochu, St. Bernadette Soubirous, Tan Books, pp. 134-135)