Venerable Father Cyril of the Mother of God - When Something in Your Life Feels Broken, Delayed, or Impossible to Restore

There are intentions we bring to God that do not simply need a little help.

They seem broken.

A relationship.

A family situation.

A financial problem.

A vocation.

A dream.

Someone's faith.

Our own spiritual life.

We look at all the pieces and wonder:

“Jesus, how could this possibly be repaired?”

Venerable Father Cyril of the Mother of God teaches us something beautiful:

Bring the broken thing back to Jesus.

And then give Jesus the freedom to use your hands too.

Who Was Father Cyril of the Mother of God?

Father Cyril of the Mother of God—also known as Cyrillus a Matre Dei—was a seventeenth-century Discalced Carmelite priest closely associated with the famous devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague.

The statue of the Infant Jesus had been given to the Carmelites in Prague, and Father Cyril developed a deep devotion to the Child Jesus.

But during a period of war and upheaval, the monastery suffered greatly.

The statue was eventually neglected and lost amid the destruction.

Years later, Father Cyril returned.

He searched for the statue.

And he found it.

But there was a problem.

The Infant Jesus's hands had been broken off.

“Give Me My Hands”

Father Cyril restored the statue to a place of honor and prayed before the Infant Jesus.

According to the traditional account associated with the devotion, Father Cyril interiorly heard words from the Child Jesus:

“Have pity on Me, and I will have pity on you. Give Me My hands, and I will give you peace. The more you honor Me, the more I will bless you.”

Father Cyril wanted the statue repaired.

But obtaining the money was difficult.

Eventually, through perseverance and Providence, the hands of the Infant Jesus were restored.

And devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague continued to spread.

That little phrase gives us something profound to consider:

“Give Me My hands.”

Have You Been Asking Jesus to Do Something While He Is Asking for Your Hands?

We pray:

“Jesus, fix this.”

“Jesus, change this.”

“Jesus, help my family.”

“Jesus, bring this person back.”

“Jesus, open this door.”

“Jesus, please do something.”

And sometimes the answer may include:

“Yes. Now give Me your hands.”

Perhaps Jesus wants to work through:

Your phone call.

Your apology.

Your generosity.

Your patience.

Your work.

Your encouragement.

Your sacrifice.

Your willingness to forgive.

Your decision to finally act.

Your willingness to stop interfering.

Your willingness simply to pray.

Not every problem is ours to fix.

But sometimes God answers our prayers by showing us the small part He wants us to do.

Ask Jesus: “Do You Need My Hands?”

When you have a large intention, pray:

“Infant Jesus, what part of this belongs to me?”

Then listen.

Maybe the answer is:

Make the appointment.

Send the application.

Have the conversation.

Go to Confession.

Forgive.

Save the money.

Ask for help.

Call the person.

Do the work.

Be patient.

Stop gossiping about it.

Pray instead of complaining.

Or perhaps:

Do nothing right now. Wait for Me.

That last one can require just as much obedience.

When Something Has Been Neglected

There is another beautiful lesson in Father Cyril's story.

The statue had been forgotten.

Damaged.

Neglected.

Yet that was not the end of its story.

Maybe something in your own life has been neglected.

Your prayer life.

Your marriage.

Your relationship with a family member.

Your Confession.

Your Rosary.

Your vocation.

Your trust in God.

Your devotion to the Eucharist.

Do not look at what has been neglected and decide:

“It is too late.”

Pick it up again.

Bring it back to Jesus.

Begin repairing what can be repaired.

God can do remarkable things with something we thought was finished.

The Infant Jesus Had No Hands — But Father Cyril Did

Think about that image.

The statue was broken.

The hands were missing.

Father Cyril prayed.

But Father Cyril also worked to have the statue repaired.

There is a lesson there for us.

We should never use surrender as an excuse for refusing to do what God clearly asks of us.

Pray as though everything depends upon God.

Then faithfully do whatever portion He has entrusted to you.

After that—

leave the rest with Him.

What Intention Needs the Infant Jesus Today?

Perhaps you are praying for:

• A seemingly impossible situation

• Restoration in your family

• A troubled relationship

• Marriage

• Someone's conversion

• Financial provision

• Employment

• A home

• Healing

• Protection

• A child

• Peace in your household

• Guidance about the future

• An obstacle that will not move

• Something that has been delayed for a long time

• Something that feels broken beyond repair

• Greater confidence in Divine Providence

Bring it to the Infant Jesus.

Then ask Father Cyril to pray with you.

Pray With Childlike Confidence

One reason devotion to the Infant Jesus is so beautiful is that it teaches us to become little.

Children ask.

Children trust.

Children reach for someone stronger than themselves.

Our Lord Himself taught us that unless we become as little children, we shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven.

That does not mean becoming childish.

It means becoming dependent upon God.

You do not have to understand every detail.

You do not have to know exactly how your intention will be answered.

You can simply say:

“Jesus, I am little. Thou art God. Please take care of this.”

A Prayer With Father Cyril for a Huge Intention

O Venerable Father Cyril of the Mother of God,
thou didst love and honor the Holy Infant Jesus
with remarkable confidence and perseverance.

Pray for me as I place before Him the intention that weighs upon my heart:

[Mention your intention.]

Holy Infant Jesus,
Thou knowest every part of this situation.

Thou knowest what is broken.

Thou knowest what is missing.

Thou knowest what must change.

Thou knowest what I cannot repair.

I place everything into Thy little hands.

And now I ask:

Jesus, dost Thou need my hands?

If there is something I must do,
show me.

If there is something I must say,
give me the words.

If there is something I must repair,
give me humility.

If I must forgive,
give me charity.

If I must work,
give me perseverance.

If I must stop interfering,
give me restraint.

If I must wait,
give me patience.

I will do the little part Thou askest of me.

And I will trust Thee with everything else.

Venerable Father Cyril,
teach me thy confidence in the Infant Jesus.

Help me honor Him.

Help me trust Him.

Help me believe that nothing is too broken for God to use for His glory.

Holy Infant Jesus, I trust in Thee.

Amen.

“The More You Honor Me…”

The traditional words associated with Father Cyril and the Infant Jesus of Prague have inspired generations of Catholics:

“The more you honor Me, the more I will bless you.”

We should understand these words properly.

Devotion to the Infant Jesus is not a bargain with God.

We do not honor Jesus so that He owes us the particular miracle we want.

We honor Him because He is Jesus Christ, Our Lord and King.

The greatest blessing of devotion is not necessarily receiving exactly what we requested.

It is becoming more deeply united with Him.

Give Jesus Your Hands at Work

You can practice this devotion throughout an ordinary day.

Before beginning work:

“Infant Jesus, use my hands today.”

While making dinner:

“Jesus, I offer this for my family.”

While caring for someone:

“Jesus, let my hands become Thy hands of charity.”

When writing an email:

“Jesus, help me use these words well.”

When you are tempted to complain:

“Jesus, use my mouth for charity instead.”

When someone needs help:

“Jesus, show me what Thou wouldst have me do.”

Your ordinary duties can become part of your prayer.

When You Have Done Your Part

This is equally important.

Once you have done what God reasonably asks of you—

stop trying to do God's part.

You cannot force someone's conversion.

You cannot control another person's heart.

You cannot control tomorrow.

You cannot arrange every circumstance.

You cannot guarantee the outcome.

Do your part.

Then say:

“Infant Jesus, my hands have done what they can. Now I place everything in Thine.”

That is surrender.

Pick Up What Has Been Broken

Father Cyril found a statue that had been neglected and damaged.

He did not throw it away.

He restored it to honor.

Maybe today Jesus is asking you to pick something up again.

Your Rosary.

Your prayer book.

Your relationship with Him.

Your confidence.

Your hope.

Perhaps you stopped praying for an intention because you became discouraged.

Begin again.

Not frantically.

Not superstitiously.

Simply with confidence.

“Jesus, I am bringing this back to Thee.”

Visit Our Parish Bookstore

If you would like to deepen your devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague, visit our parish bookstore for prayer books, novenas, holy cards, and other Catholic devotional materials.

Consider placing an image of the Infant Jesus somewhere in your home.

When you see Him, let it remind you:

Jesus is King—even when He appears little.

And no situation in your life is too large for Him.

Give Him His Hands

What is broken right now?

What are you desperately asking Jesus to repair?

Bring it to Him.

Then ask one simple question:

“Jesus, do You need my hands?”

If He gives you something to do—

do it.

If He asks you to apologize—

apologize.

If He asks you to pray—

pray.

If He asks you to work—

work.

If He asks you to wait—

wait.

And when you have done your part:

stop trying to control His.

Venerable Father Cyril spent himself restoring honor to the Infant Jesus.

May his example teach us to give Jesus our hands, our work, our intentions, and ultimately our complete confidence.

Holy Infant Jesus of Prague, I trust in Thee.

Venerable Father Cyril of the Mother of God, pray for us!