The Fruit of My Contemplation: Restoring the Statues of Mary and St. Dominic
Have you ever taken on a task you thought would be easy, only to realize you were in way over your head?
Many months ago, I was entrusted with a task I never expected: to restore five statues of Mary offering the Rosary to St. Dominic while the Child Jesus looks on. The statues had been badly damaged during shipping from the Monastery of the Angels in Los Angeles. When the Prioress asked if anyone would be willing to take on the challenge of restoring them, I zealously jumped at the offer with a great sense of confidence because, at the time, I thought it would be a simple task to glue a few pieces together but, was I in for a surprise!
Some of the pieces required not just glue but they also had to be remolded with compound. After the Prioress saw one of the statues immaculately glued, she was thrilled and went all out to obtain the necessary materials to continue the job. It was the first time I used compound so I learned as I went along.
The sanding out of the rough edges was very challenging. I quickly began to feel discouraged, wondering whether I had bitten off more than I could chew, although at times the Prioress followed up on my progress and encouraged me to continue working on them. For weeks the unfinished statues stared me down.
But as providence would have it, I entered into a grace-filled 8-day silent retreat only to realize that this project was destined to be completed during this sacred time, God's perfect timing. Suddenly, it was more than just a task; rather it became a labor of love and a solitary time for deep reflection. In the quiet and solitude of those days, the real work began, not just on the statues but within myself and I could not help but think of the words from Isaiah 64:7: “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands.”
Like clay in God's hands, I too was being shaped, refined, and made whole again. The zeal I had at first when I said yes to the task, soon returned and I was determined to complete this meditative work by the end of my retreat. Throughout my retreat, I worked in awe, feeling as though I was being guided and inspired step by step, marveling at how everything fell perfectly into place. The stumbling blocks suddenly fell away, and upon completion of the project, the statues looked almost brand new. Mixing the paint for the first time was another challenge. I did not think I could do that either.
Years ago I used to admire a Carmelite Sister, who had the gift of restoring statues, and never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever be able to do this. But somehow, with God's grace, I matched the colors so closely to the original that you could hardly notice any of the repairs. When all was finished, I labeled the experience “the fruit of my contemplation” because that is exactly what it was: an outward expression of the inner work God was doing in me. As I reflect on this experience, I’m reminded of Philippians 1:6: “He who has begun the good work in you will carry it through to completion, right up to the day of Christ Jesus.”
I’m still amazed at what God accomplished in me and through me during this project, and I continue to be grateful for His gentle guidance. In many ways, this mirrors the fruit of contemplation in our monastery. The quiet work of God within us shapes us through prayer, silence, and community members. This awesome experience has deepened my understanding of how God works in small, hidden ways to bring about something beautiful and whole. You too can be drawn to this kind of life, where somehow every day can become an opportunity for grace.
I invite you to consider participating in the fruit of contemplation here at our monastery. It just may surprise you, as it did me, how God works in mysterious ways.