Arise to Blessedness
Description
Winner of a second-place award in the contemporary spirituality category from the Catholic Media Association.
Eight modern saints invite you to follow their example to live the Beatitudes—the heart of Jesus’s teaching—in your own life.
Through her beautiful full-color art, scripture passages, journaling prompts, and original prayers inspired by the Our Father, popular Catholic artist Jen Norton will guide you to put the Beatitudes into practice as she challenges you to examine the state of your own heart and your willingness to grow in holiness.
Norton compares living what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3–13) with climbing a mountain—a difficult, irregular, sometimes fear-filled path that eventually leads to a great reward. But she says that like the saints, if you trust God beyond your own understanding, the end of the climb is heaven.
You will learn about each of the Beatitudes from modern saints, including
- St. André Bessette, a brother of the Congregation of Holy Cross, who served as a porter and powerful intercessor for the afflicted—Blessed are the poor in spirit;
- St. Mark Ji Tianxiang, a Chinese doctor who became an opium addict but maintained a strong faith. He died a martyr during the Boxer Rebellion—Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness;
- St. Maria Goretti, who sought the conversion of those who had harmed her—Blessed are the merciful; and
- St. Oscar Romero, the archbishop who embodied radical love as a peacemaker—Blessed are the peacemakers.
This book is perfect for personal or group use.
Product Details

Eight Modern Saints Who Lived the Beatitudes

St. André Bessette
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

St. Maximilian Kolbe
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

St. Mark Ji Tianxiang
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

St. Maria Goretti
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

St. Charbel Makhlouf
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.

St. Óscar Romero
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.

St. José Luis Sánchez del Río
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Discover more artwork that celebrates the traditions of our Catholic faith with a contemporary, colorful twist by Jen Norton. Browse her gallery here.

Meditate on the Stations of the Cross with Norton's Surrender All.
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“A creative masterpiece.”
“Arise to Blessedness is a creative masterpiece. Each saint is an accomplished guide; each image, a well-spring of contemplation; and each chapter, an opportunity to delve ever deeper into what it means to be truly blessed.”
Allison Gingras
Author of Encountering Signs of Faith -
“A wonderful way to explore depths of meaning in the Beatitudes through art.”
“Jen Norton's Arise to Blessedness blends the artist's clear and powerful drawing with rich textures and nuanced colors—a wonderful way to explore depths of meaning in the Beatitudes through art. Norton points out that Jesus speaks to his followers 'in ways they know, affirming their dignity,' and her Via Pulchritudinis ('Way of Beauty') does exactly that, illustrating the loveliness of virtue and its many manifestations across places, traditions, and cultures.”
Elizabeth Lev
Vatican art historian and author of How Catholic Art Saved the Faith -
“Go deeper in your journey to the heart of Jesus.”
“With beautiful artwork, insightful reflections, and stories told in a way to remind us that saints are more like us than not, this journal offers a means of honest reflection that will certainly allow you to go deeper in your journey to the heart of Jesus.”
Marcia Lane-McGee
Cohost of Plaid Skirts and Basic Black podcast