0 Acts of Joy
77 of 5,000 Acts of Joy
Upload a photo if you have one. Accepted formats: JPG, PNG, GIF (max 5MB)

Share Your Acts of Joy This Advent

This Advent Season, our parish invites everyone to live and share “Acts of Joy.”
Each small act — a prayer, a kindness, or a simple moment of service — helps prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and spreads His light to others.

“Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God. In these acts, we bring the presence of God which elicits joy in those we serve. But we also encounter the presence of God in them and so experience that joy as well.” – Fr. Matthew

“Joy is not the absence of suffering, but the presence of God.” – Pope Leo XIV

You can log your Acts of Joy online and watch our parish’s collective progress grow on our Joy Meter, as together we work toward our goal of 5,000 joyful acts!

To help inspire you, we’ve organized a list of seven categories of joy—with ideas big and small for every age and stage of life. Use these examples as a guide, or let them spark your own creative ways to share joy this Advent!

Ideas for Acts of Joy for Adults

1. Joy Through Service

Rooted in the Corporal Works of Mercy

  • Deliver food to a neighbor or food pantry

  • Donate gently used clothes or toys

  • Write Christmas cards to someone that might not receive one

  • Volunteer at a parish or community event

  • Bring a meal to a family in need

2. Joy Through Prayer

Rooted in the Spiritual Works of Mercy

  • Pray a Rosary for someone in need

  • Attend an extra weekday Mass or Adoration

  • Light a candle for peace or a special intention

  • Pray with a friend or family member

  • Offer prayers for the sick or grieving

3. Joy in Family Life

Everyday love and togetherness

  • Share a meal without distractions

  • Read a Christmas story or Scripture together

  • Help a child, spouse, or parent without being asked

  • Participate in the Advent Parish Reflections on Hallow

  • Forgive someone and reconcile with them

4. Joy in Parish Life

Building community and faith together

  • Invite someone to Mass or a parish event

  • Participate in a ministry or small group

  • Help decorate or clean the church

  • Thank a priest, deacon, or staff member

  • Participate in the parish Stockings of Joy Outreach

5. Joy in the World

Bringing light beyond the parish walls

  • Offer a smile to people that you pass by

  • Pay for someone’s coffee or meal

  • Write a note of encouragement

  • Compliment someone sincerely

  • Pick up litter in a public area

6. Joy in Creation

Caring for God’s creation

  • Recycle or reduce waste intentionally

  • Plant something or care for a garden

  • Walk outdoors in gratitude

  • Help care for an animal

  • Reduce energy use at home

7. Joy in Gratitude

Cultivating thankful hearts

  • Write down three blessings of the day

  • Thank someone who often goes unnoticed

  • Send a thank-you note or message

  • Express gratitude to God in prayer

Ideas for Acts of Joy for Youth

🌟 Seven Ways YOU Can Share Joy This Advent!

1️⃣ Joy Through Helping

Show love by helping others!

  • Help a friend or sibling with homework

  • Share toys or books you don’t use anymore

  • Hold the door for someone

  • Make a get-well card for someone who is sick

  • Help set the table without being asked

2️⃣ Joy Through Prayer

Talk to God and pray for others!

  • Say a prayer for someone who needs help

  • Pray the Rosary (even one decade!)

  • Light a candle and say a prayer at church

  • Pray before meals and bedtime

  • Pray for people who feel lonely

3️⃣ Joy in Your Family

Bring joy right at home!

  • Give someone a big hug

  • Help clean up around the house

  • Tell your parents “I love you”

  • Eat dinner together without screens

  • Read a Bible story with your family

4️⃣ Joy in Our Parish

Be part of our church family!

  • Hold the hymn book for someone at Mass

  • Say “Hi!” and smile at someone new

  • Help decorate or clean at church events

  • Bring food or toys for our parish drive

  • Thank a priest, teacher, or choir member

5️⃣ Joy in the World

Spread kindness everywhere you go!

  • Say something kind to someone

  • Let someone go first in line

  • Pick up trash to keep places clean

  • Share your snack if allowed

  • Pay it forward with a small surprise

6️⃣ Joy in God’s Creation

Take care of the world God made!

  • Recycle bottles and paper

  • Feed the birds or help pets

  • Turn off lights when not needed

  • Plant something or water plants

  • Enjoy a nature walk and thank God for it

7️⃣ Joy Through Gratitude

Be thankful for God’s blessings!

  • Write or draw a thank-you note

  • Tell someone why you are grateful for them

  • Thank God for 3 blessings each day

  • Keep a little “Gratitude Journal”

  • Say “thank you” — a lot!

💜 Every Act of Joy Counts!

When you do something kind, loving, or prayerful — that’s joy!
Add your Joy to our parish Joy Meter, and let’s see how bright we can shine together this Advent!