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 and 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, Catholic artist Jen Norton guides readers to put the Beatitudes into practice, challenging them to examine the state of their hearts and their willingness to grow in holiness.
Norton compares living what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3–13) to climbing a mountain—a difficult, uneven, sometimes fear-filled path that ultimately leads to the reward of heaven. Like the saints, if we trust God beyond our own understanding, the end of the climb is eternal joy.
You will learn about each of the Beatitudes through the lives of modern saints, including:
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St. André Bessette, a brother of the Congregation of Holy Cross and powerful intercessor for the afflicted — Blessed are the poor in spirit
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St. Mark Ji Tianxiang, a Chinese doctor and opium addict who died a martyr during the Boxer Rebellion — Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness
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St. Maria Goretti, who sought the conversion of those who had harmed her — Blessed are the merciful
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St. Oscar Romero, the archbishop who embodied radical love as a peacemaker — Blessed are the peacemakers
Perfect for both personal and group use, this book invites readers to encounter Christ through beauty, reflection, and the witness of the saints.
About the Author
Jen Norton is an award-winning painter and the author and illustrator of Surrender All: An Illuminated Journal Retreat through the Stations of the Cross. Her artwork has appeared on numerous Catholic book covers, including Word by Word and The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion.
Norton earned a bachelor’s degree in fine art with a minor in business from Santa Clara University. After serving as an art director at CKS Partners and working as a freelance designer and illustrator, she began focusing exclusively on Catholic art in 2012.
She currently serves as president of Allied Artist West and has previously been a board member of the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society and the Silicon Valley Open Studios. Represented by The Sacred Art Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona, she exhibits annually at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress and other major Catholic events. Norton lives in San Jose, California, with her family.
