Today’s Saint

Daily Journey with the Saints


November 6 | Let Your Life Speak

Blessed Alphonsus Navarrete

A.D. 1571–1617



What is your personal brand? In other words, how would the world describe you in just a few words?

Alphonsus Navarrete had an incredibly strong personal brand—so strong in fact that he is still remembered hundreds of years after his death. What was Alphonsus’ brand? Faith. Dedication. Bravery. And guts. 

Alphonsus was a Dominican missionary who was born in 1571. Even though he was from Spain, he had a strong desire to spread the faith all over the world. His first mission was in the Philippines, where he inspired many people to follow God. After he returned to Europe, Alphonsus heard about a growing persecution of Christians in Japan and felt called to mission there. There, he baptized many people and earned the nickname “Vincent de Paul of Japan” for the amazing work he did caring for abandoned babies. Eventually Alphonsus was captured and beheaded. He was the first Dominican to be martyred in Japan, but with his death, his enormous legacy had just begun. 

Some saints wrote books, preached legendary sermons, or kept detailed diaries that we still have access to today. But many more lived their entire lives without a written record. Blessed Alphonsus Navarrete was one of the latter kinds of saints. We don’t have any of his words written down—all we have is an account of what he did. But even so, Alphonus’ life spoke as loud as a bullhorn. 

Eight hundred years ago, Saint Francis of Assisi wrote, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and only when necessary use words.” Four hundred years later, this was no doubt the inspiration for George Fox, the founder of the Quaker movement, when he wrote, “Let your life preach.” This saying has evolved over the past four hundred years into “let your life speak.”

“Let your life speak” implies that your life might not speak. That isn’t the case. The truth is this: You don’t have a choice. Your life speaks whether you let it or not. Your actions speak and your inaction speaks. The only choice you have in this matter surrounds this question:

What is your life saying to the world?

If you had to summarize what your life is saying in one word, what word would you use? Love, generosity, thoughtful, responsible, irresponsible, light, dark, righteous, sarcastic, hypocritical, degenerate, goodness, kindness, selfish, thoughtless, careless, anxious, depressed,  truth, beauty, wisdom?

Your life is speaking. What do you want it to say?



WHAT IS YOUR LIFE SAYING? WHAT DO YOU WANT IT TO SAY?

My life speaks.


This reflection is brought to you from book title.


Feast Day: November 6

Feast Day Shared By: Saint Leonard

Beatified: May 7, 1867

Beatified By: Pope Pius IX

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