Mary as the Model of Public Witness
A 5-Part Reflection on Adrienn von Speyr's The Handmaid of the Lord
Mary as the Model of Public Witness
I have been reflecting on the book Handmaid of the Lord by Adrienn von Speyr.
"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior... for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant." (Luke 1:46-48)
We often think of evangelization as preaching or persuasion. But Mary shows us something different. Her Magnificat is a witness. It is not just a prayer, but a public declaration of what God has done. She carries Christ within her, and she gives voice to His presence. This is evangelization. It begins in the heart, but it does not stay hidden. Mary speaks, and others recognize the work of God. What does it mean for us to carry Christ and let our lives speak the truth of the Gospel?
Mary’s Magnificat is more than a beautiful prayer. Her prayer is a public declaration of God’s work in her life. God is using Mary to show us what it means to bear witness and to make a public confession of faith. She who has lived in silence now proclaims openly who Jesus is. Her confession is not whispered in secrecy but proclaimed with joy.
In her visit to Elizabeth, Mary does not merely share personal news; she bears witness to the living God. Is this not what we do when we share the Gospel? Evangelization is not about persuading others to believe. No, evangelization is about testifying to the reality of Christ, confirming what the Holy Spirit has already begun in the hearts of those we encounter.
Our Blessed Mother is the first to proclaim Christ, affirming His presence even before He is seen. When she greets Elizabeth, she does not introduce Christ as if He were unknown. She confirms what the Holy Spirit has already revealed to Elizabeth: that the child in Mary’s womb is the long-awaited Lord. And at that moment, John the Baptist leaps for joy, responding to the truth he already, in some mysterious way, perceived.
This is the pattern of all true evangelization. God is already at work in the souls we encounter. Our task is to carry Christ within us, to speak His truth, and to awaken in others the faith that the Holy Spirit has already stirred in them. Elizabeth recognizes Christ because Mary brings Him near; she rejoices because Mary confirms what God has already revealed.
And how does Mary respond? Not with self-exaltation, but with a song of praise. This is the heart of Christian witness: to receive Christ, to allow Him to grow within us, and to bring Him forth to the world—not for our own glory, but for His.
Like Mary, we are called to carry Christ and make Him known. Let our words and lives point to what God has done.
© 2025, Lawain McNeil, Mission Surrender, LLC.