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we will never visit. The Holy Spirit works as he
wills, when he wills and where he wills; we en-
trust ourselves without pretending to see striking
results. We know only that our commitment is
necessary. Let us learn to rest in the tenderness
of the arms of the Father amid our creative and
generous commitment. Let us keep marching
forward; let us give him everything, allowing him
to make our efforts bear fruit in his good time.
280.âKeeping our missionary fervour alive calls
for firm trust in the Holy Spirit, for it is he who
âhelps us in our weaknessâ (
Rom
8:26). But this
generous trust has to be nourished, and so we
need to invoke the Spirit constantly. He can heal
whatever causes us to flag in the missionary en-
deavour. It is true that this trust in the unseen
can cause us to feel disoriented: it is like being
plunged into the deep and not knowing what we
will find. I myself have frequently experienced
this. Yet there is no greater freedom than that of
allowing oneself to be guided by the Holy Spir-
it, renouncing the attempt to plan and control
everything to the last detail, and instead letting
him enlighten, guide and direct us, leading us
wherever he wills. The Holy Spirit knows well
what is needed in every time and place. This is
what it means to be mysteriously fruitful!
The missionary power of intercessory prayer
281.âOne form of prayer moves us particularly
to take up the task of evangelization and to seek
