Our Lady Of Good Hope
Country : France
Year : 1886
Ten years went into the making of the statue; finally it stood complete, 151 feet high; it was time for America to do her part, to build the pedestal that would shoulder it. America was strangely indifferent; France sent the statue across the ocean; but its arrival brought it no glory. The statue was put into a warehouse, until America was roused and the LIBERTY was dedicated on Bedloes Island, October 28, 1886. There she stands today, more brightly than ever, nimbus of flood lights glowing in the night, thousands of admirers yearly climbing up through her to look out upon the world through the windows set in her crown.
For all her beauty and massiveness, this Lady of Liberty is no match for the LADY given by God to the world, a Lady who would forever symbolize the unity of God with the world He created, and the mutual love of both for liberty, liberty to do good. Before time began, God’s plans were made. From the limitless resources of the Blessed Trinity came all the wealth needed in preparing her. She would be a gift worthy of God, a Lady of Good Hope to all people, a woman formed of innumerable virtues, fixed in place by grace, conceived to stand in the gateway of a world redeemed, and hover protectingly over that world’s traffic. Only a brief wisp of God’s wishing went into the making of OUR Lady; but it was an omnipotent wisp that magnificently fashioned in Flesh the love of the Blessed Trinity for liberty of all souls.
And the world did its part in accepting Our Lady, built a pedestal of devotion to exalt her, set her up for all to see and marvel at, learn to love her beauty and her significance to all. Yet to this day the world is strangely indifferent to its privilege. God sent Mary to earth with an entourage of angels; but her arrival brought no glory–for a time she was left in a stable, afterwards insulted and sometimes dishonored; her pedestal of devotion is not complete. All signs, however, indicate that there is still room for hope. Little by little the efforts of Mary’s crusading champions are waking the world and bidding it work earnestly to enthrone her as she deserves–with the Incarnate Flame of God’s love blazing in her arms–and the nimbus of her sanctity glowing in our darkness as a symbol of Hope.
