From November 29 to December 25, 2026, we are offering an Advent calendar. Each morning, in just a few minutes: a passage from Pope Francis, a prayer for grace, and the prayer to Saint Joseph that he recited every day. A journey to become more open to God and to others, right where we live, in the midst of the world.
An Advent journey to live out openness in daily life
Openness is a struggle that is first and foremost spiritual, but also earthly. It plays out in the ordinary moments of our days: at work, with family, in the neighborhood, and in the face of the unexpected. Pope Francis wrote: “To be a disciple means having a constant readiness to bring the love of Jesus to others, and this happens spontaneously everywhere: on the street, in the square, at work, along the way” (Evangelii gaudium, no. 127).
Readiness: At the Heart of Our Ignatian Spirituality
Our spiritual family draws its life from the spirituality of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatius sums up the entire Christian life in four words at the end of his Spiritual Exercises: en todo amar y servir, “to love and serve in all things.”
Our Life Project translates this requirement into the concrete realities of our lives. It states in no. 47:
“Availability commits us to making good use of our time in service to the Lord and the mission. It requires a proper balance between our profession, ministries, family life, social relationships, time given to others, and relaxation. At the heart of these activities, we seek to live every encounter in a spirit of generosity. ”
This is the spirit of this calendar. It is not a matter of adding activities to days that are already full, but of living the ones we already have differently: with good use of time, a proper balance, and the spirit of generosity in every encounter. Five minutes in the morning are enough to set the tone for the entire day.
Saint Joseph, a Model of Availability in the Ordinary
Joseph does not speak a single word in the Gospels. A carpenter from Nazareth, he lived a hidden life, marked by work and faithfulness. He was a righteous man, and yet he accepted that God would upend his plans. He rose, took Mary into his home, and set out for Bethlehem.
In his letter Patris corde (2020), Pope Francis reminded us that “[…] our lives are woven and sustained by ordinary people, often forgotten […].” Joseph is one of them: an ordinary witness to God’s extraordinary love. That is why he accompanies us each day on this Advent journey.
Each morning, three moments
The calendar offers, for each day from November 29 to December 25:
- A text by Pope Francis, quoted verbatim and with sources: Evangelii gaudium, Patris corde, Gaudete et exsultate, his catechesis on Saint Joseph, and his Angelus addresses.
- A prayer for grace, inspired by reading Patris corde.
- The prayer to Saint Joseph that Pope Francis recited every morning. He explained it himself: “Every day, for more than forty years, after Lauds, I have recited a prayer to Saint Joseph […]” (Patris corde, note 10).
Four weeks, four steps toward greater openness
- Week 1, open in the little things: the faithfulness of Joseph, a just man.
- Week 2, open to those close to us: justice that does not hurt, sensitivity in our relationships.
- Week 3, open to God who surprises us: Joseph’s dream and the unexpected events of our lives.
- Week 4: Open to the mission, everywhere: making one’s ordinary life a mission.
- December 25: Christmas, and Pope Francis’ invitation to “renew today very own personal encounter with Jesus Christ” (Evangelii gaudium, no. 3).
Download the booklet
Feel free to share this calendar with your parish, your family, or someone who is isolated: this is already a first step toward openness. It is also a way to bear witness that “in the heart of Christ, indeed, beats the bond that unites heaven and earth, the Creator and creation, in love”
