Reflect on the Beatitudes and Eight Modern Saints

 

In Arise to Blessedness: A Journal Retreat with Eight Modern Saints Who Lived the Beatitudes, Jen Norton invites us to reflect on the Beatitudes through both word and image. “In Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, he lays out the way to eternal happiness, or ‘blessedness.’ It is a countercultural call, often asking us to embrace what the rest of the world shuns” (ix). In this work, Norton focuses on eight saints, each of whom embodies one of the Beatitudes in a meaningful way, inviting readers to also live out those Beatitudes.  

The eight saints with the accompanying Beatitude featured are:

St. André Bessette—Blessed are the poor in spirit

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton—Blessed are those who mourn

St. Maximilian Kolbe—Blessed are the meek

St. Mark Tianxiang—Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness

St. Maria Goretti—Blessed are the merciful

St. Charbel Makhlouf—Blessed are the clean of heart

St. Óscar Romero—Blessed are the peacemakers

St. José Luis Sánchez del Río—Blessed are they who are persecuted

 

Each chapter features an illustration of the Beatitude, an illuminated scripture verse, a brief scripture reading, a painting of the saint, a reflection on the saint which includes the lessons we can learn from him or her, a prompt to examine and reflect on the artwork, an opportunity for journaling, and an action item to help cultivate that Beatitude in your life more closely. There are pages provided in the book for journaling, but one can also use a separate journal.

Norton’s art is modern and colorful while still being reverent. (View examples of Norton’s paintings at JenNortonArtStudio.com.) Her illustrations are full of symbolism and provide much opportunity for reflection. Arise to Blessedness is a lovely book for contemplating the Beatitudes, learning about eight modern saints, and working on practicing the Beatitudes in your own life. It makes a perfect at-home retreat and could also be used in a small group setting.

 

Open Book for September 2023

 

Welcome to  #OpenBook. I'm joining up with Carolyn Astfalk who hosts an #OpenBook Linkup on CatholicMom.com. Here's what I've been reading this past month. The dates indicate when I finished the books. Thanks for stopping by!

 

8-6-23 Write for Life: Creative Tools for Every Writer - Julia Cameron - I saw this book at the library and decided to pick it up. I've read other books by Cameron on creativity and enjoyed them. She is most famous for The Artist's Way. The author is a bit New Agey, but honestly this book had relatively little a Catholic couldn't agree with. She acknowledges that all creativity comes from God and that we need to appeal to God to help us in our creative efforts. While this book meanders in spots, it does have some valuable tools for helping writers write more consistently and better.

 

 

8-8-23 Catherine's Mercy - Nicole Evelina -  I review inspirational fiction for a book review publication. It is very rare to get a book that features Catholics as the main characters. I was so excited to be asked to read Catherine's Mercy as it tells the story of Venerable Catherine McAuley (whom I had never heard of before). She founded the Sisters of Mercy in the early 1800s in Ireland. She was a remarkable woman who stood up to both Ireland society, which was very anti-Catholic, and some members of the clergy, who felt that as a lay, unmarried woman she had no business establishing a home for disadvantaged women and children. Evelina explains in her author's note how she intertwines the historical facts of Catherine's life with the fictional story of Irish prostitutes whom she welcomes to her home. I recommend this one, not only because it is a good story, but also because supporting mainstream publishers who are willing to publish Catholic fiction is important. 

8-13-23 White Bird - R.J. Palacio with Erica Perl - I saw White Bird in a preview at the movie theater and decided to request the book from the library. It turns out I got the movie-tie-in novel based on the original graphic novel, but no matter. I highly recommend this story for pre-teens through adults about a young Jewish girl in hiding in World War II. I definitely plan to see this movie with my daughter when it is available on streaming services. 

8-20-23 Painting the Light - Sally Cabot Gunning - I visited Martha's Vineyard for the first time this summer. Soon after, I saw this book which takes place there. It takes place in the late 1890s and features a woman who once had a promising future as an artist. When her husband dies suddenly at sea, she's forced to take over their sheep farm. She and her husband's partner's brother also form a new relationship as they try to settle the estate and discover that all was not what it seemed with their business dealings. This is definitely a secular novel, but I enjoyed the twists and turns of this story about a woman trying to reclaim her life. It was a relaxing leisure read. 

8-23-23 A Winter by the Sea - Julie Klassen - This is the second book in a Jane Austen inspired series about a group of sisters running a boarding house in 1819. In this installment, Prince Edward of England is staying at the house next door and members of his staff will be staying with the sisters. Needless to say, romance ensues. This is an enjoyable series about young women trying to make their way in the world.
 

8-24-23 Holy Moments - Matthew Kelly. I enjoy Matthew Kelly's straightforward lessons in living a holy life. This is a simple book with a simple message. Choose the good one moment at a time. Make a difference in your immediate world that can then ripple to others. In our messy world, we can all use the reminder. 

9-3-23 The Wishing Game - Meg Shaffer - This is a story inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but this time the mastermind is a bestselling children's book author who is offering the chance to win the one and only manuscript of his newest book (which they could then sell or auction off for big money). He invites four special adults to take part in an elaborate game based on his books. "Charlie" in this story is Lisa, a teachers-aide who wants desperately to adopt a child that she knows who is currently in foster-care but lacks the resources to do that. The money from the book would make this possible. This story was well-written and, while I was never that much of a fan of Willy Wonka, I enjoyed this version.

Since spring of 2019, I have been making my way through the Great Books Curriculum of Thomas Aquinas College (I'm currently working on the readings for junior year). 

8-8-23 The Fairy Queen - Edmond Spenser - Last month I wrote about how I have come to the conclusion that I am just not a fan of epic poetry. But I am happy to report that I finished The Fairy Queen. According to the introduction in the version I am reading, this was written in the late 1500s as a tribute to Queen Elizabeth I. The queen is held up as the embodiment of temperance who had the power to redeem female history. The queen was the earthly manifestation of God's light. Supposedly, this is a very Protestant book.

8-10-23 On the Teacher - St. Thomas Aquinas - This was a very short essay on the role of teachers and how individuals come to know anything. 

And with that, I finished the sophomore year readings (Freshman year took me two years; sophomore year took me two years and four months)! Woo-hoo!  On to junior year!

 8-15-18 On Sacred Doctrine - St. Thomas Aquinas - This was Part 1, Section 1 of the Summa Theologiae exploring questions about whether the study of sacred doctrine is a science and what the study of sacred doctrine includes. 

8-17-23 On God - St. Thomas Aquinas - This was Part 1, Question 2 of the Summa on the existence of God featuring St. Thomas' five proofs for the existence of God. 

8-23-23 On Law - St. Thomas Aquinas - This was Question 96 of the Summa on the power of human law. It explored why human laws are formed, what their purpose is, and whether all are subject to law.

Overall, I found reading these sections of the Summa to be interesting and thought-provoking. I'm sure in a classroom setting, there would be much conversation and debate about them. 

My twelve-year-old daughter and I read the following books this month:

8-14-23 Mandy - Julie Andrews Edwards - My daughter and I both enjoyed this lovely story about an orphan who finds an abandoned cottage and fixes it up to have a place of her own. She makes some more choices along the way (which can provide some discussion points), but it all turns out well in the end.

9-4-23 Moon Over Manifest - Clare Vanderpool - I learned of this book from Leslea Wahl who reviewed it over on my Today's Catholic Homeschooling site. It's a dual-timeline story that takes place in 1918 (in the midst of WWI and the Spanish flu) and in 1936 (during the Depression). Abilene Tucker has been sent away by her father for the summer to the small town of Manifest where her father had spent some time when he was young. As she makes new friends, she also comes to learn the story of the small town that shaped her father.

 

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The Value of Holy Moments

 

There is a time and place for heavy theological tomes, but sometimes it is good to read a simple book that reminds you of the value of the choices you make each day. In Holy Moments, Matthew Kelly explains how our lives are made up of moments, moments in which we have the opportunity to choose the good and to make a difference in the lives of those around us.

Kelly speaks to the universal human desire for meaning. We’ve all had that experience of life of feeling restless, of wondering what we were made for, and of yearning for something more. “Each of these yearnings is a summons to live a more meaningful life” (14). We find that meaning in living for God. “The more disconnected from God our lives become the more meaningless life becomes” (21). Holy moments are the key to living our lives for God.

What are “holy moments”? “A Holy Moment is a single moment in which you open yourself to God. You make yourself available to Him. You set aside personal preference and self-interest, and for one moment you do what prayerfully believe God is calling you to do” (23). A lifetime of choosing to do what God wants, one moment at a time, can lead to a lifetime of holiness.

It’s easy to become intimidated by the thought of needing to live a holy life day in and day out for years and years until we are called home to be with God, but each of us can make a holy choice for a moment. And if we screw up and make a poor choice, we can turn around and make a better choice in the next moment. These holy moments don’t always have to be a big choice. They can be as simple as smiling at someone we pass by or putting down our work and giving our complete attention to a child who needs us at that moment. “No act infused with goodness can ever be considered small. Every act of goodness triggers more goodness.”

The idea of holy moments is one that can be shared with our children as well. We can invite them to create their own holy moments and perhaps review them at the end of the day with a simple question: “Where did you have a holy moment today?” The ideas contained in Holy Moments can help both us and our children live with more intentionality and make a positive impact on the world. It is a simple book with a powerful message.

Holy Moments is available on Amazon, but for those who would like to share this book with others (perhaps through a book group), six free copies (shipping must be paid for) are available at https://holymomentsbook.com/products/free-6-pack.

 

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Purchases made after clicking a link help support this site. Thank you!

Open Book for August 2023

 

Welcome to  #OpenBook. I'm joining up with Carolyn Astfalk who hosts an #OpenBook Linkup on CatholicMom.com. Here's what I've been reading this past month. The dates indicate when I finished the books. Thanks for stopping by!

 

7-9-23 Emily's Quest - L.M. Montgomery - I finished up the Emily trilogy by L.M. Montgomery. This book covers Emily's life as a young adult and features several love interests and the ups and downs of her career as a writer. I am so glad I read these books, and honestly, I probably appreciated them more as an adult than I would have if I had read them around age 10 or 11 when I was reading the Anne books. I wish there were more in the series!

7/13/23 - Rosary Gems: Daily Wisdom on the Holy Rosary - Fr. Donald Calloway - This is a lovely book of quotes by Servants of God, Venerables, Blesseds, and Saints on the beauty and power of the Rosary. If you need some added inspiration to pray the Rosary each day or simply want to reflect on this prayer, I highly recommend this book.

 

7-19-23 The Secrets Beneath - Kimberley Woodhouse - This suspense-filled romance sent shivers up my spine. It has several plot lines. Set in 1870s Wyoming Territory, the main character is trying to gain respect as a paleontologist working in a man's world. She reconnects with her first love (the romance part of this tale), but the mysterious disappearance of her best friend 10 years earlier still haunts them. When a child goes missing again, it seems like history is repeatiRng itself. (Read for a book review publication)

7-20-23 Finding Dorothy - Elizabeth Letts - I enjoyed this book so much! It is focused on Maud Gage Baum, the wife of L. Frank Baum, who wrote The Wizard of Oz and is a dual timeline tale with the story of Maud and Frank interspersed with Maud being involved with the creation of the movie after Frank's death. 

7-24-23 The Echo of Old Books - Barbara Davis - I had a delightful time reading this book! It is a dual time-line story taking place in the days before WWII and 1984. In the 1984 era, Ashlyn Greer is a rare book dealer who can feel the "echoes" of old books - who owned them and what they were feeling. When she comes across a pair of unusual books, she is on a mission to discover the true story behind them. 

7-26-23 7 Secrets of the Eucharist - Vinny Flynn - The Eucharistic Revival makes this a great time to read this classic by Vinny Flynn. It will help you develop a greater appreciation for the Eucharist. I'll offer you with this one quote from the book to ponder: "We are each called to enter into an unbroken relationship with God, and Christ remains with us in the Eucharist to make this possible."

7-27-23 - Blink and We'll Miss It - Ginny Kochis - This is clean YA fiction set in North Carolina that deals respectfully and honestly with mental illness and generational trauma. Teenage Mae struggles to live her own life in light of her mother's mental illness and her grandfather's overbearing nature. Complicating matters is that Mae has "blinks" in which she can see images of the past.

7-30-23 After Anne - Logan Steiner - I had been eagerly awaiting this book to come in from my library holds list! It is a fictional retelling of the life of Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author of Anne of Green Gables and the Emily series that I recently read. She also wrote many other books. I have read biographies of her life before, so I knew going in that this story doesn't end well. One of the hard things about writing a book about someone's life is that you have to deal with the messiness of real life. There was no fictional way to give her a happy ending. However, I did enjoy this book. I thought it was a well-written effort that was well-researched and attempts to get into the mind of the author. My only criticism is that the timeline is disjointed. It jumps around a lot and it is hard to keep track of what is going on when. I do recommend it for those who want to learn more about the woman behind the Anne stories.

Since spring of 2019, I have been making my way through the Great Books Curriculum of Thomas Aquinas College (I'm currently working on the readings for sophomore year). 

The Fairy Queen - Edmond Spenser - I have come to the conclusion that I am just not a fan of epic poetry. I find it difficult to read, even with the explanations close at hand, and I don't understand it. So, I have been slogging through The Fairy Queen. According to the introduction in the version I am reading, this was written in the late 1500s as a tribute to Queen Elizabeth I. The queen is held up as the embodiment of temperance who had the power to redeem female history. The queen was the earthly manifestation of God's light. Supposedly, this is a very Protestant book. I am just looking forward to finishing it and moving on.

My twelve-year-old daughter and I read the following books this month:

7-11-23 The Chosen Prince - Diane Stanley - This was an enjoyable story that takes place in ancient Arcos. Alexos is a prince chosen at birth by Athene, but being chosen doesn't mean his life will be easy, especially after he experiences a life-altering illness. This book had important themes such as sacrifice and forgiveness. It is interesting for anyone who enjoys stories about the ancient world, including Greek mythology.

7-28-23 Second Sleep - Diane Stanley. My daughter and I enjoyed The Chosen Prince, so I decided to get another book by the same author. This one is hard to explain - it has time travel and mystery, so I'll include the actual description because it says it better. But, it was very interesting and I was eager to see how it would all turn out. 

To get Max and Rosie’s minds off their mother’s mysterious disappearance, their grandmother, Mozelle, suggests that they visit the old log cabin where their mom spent her summers as a child. This is a place where, when it gets dark, you go to bed. But according to Mozelle, their mother had her happiest dreams during her nights at the lake. 

That first night, Max and Rosie travel in their dreams to an almost impossibly beautiful place where they meet a wonderful new group of friends. But was it really just a dream? Or is there something extraordinary and magical about this compound by the lake?

As Max slowly grasps what is really going on, he wonders if he might have found the key to the mystery of his mother’s disappearance—and how to bring her safely home.

 

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