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Joy can feel easy when life is going well. But what about when prayers go unanswered, plans change, suffering enters our lives, or we simply find ourselves wondering where God is in the middle of it all?

This Advent, Joy to the World invites us to explore what it means to live with true Christian joy—not as a passing feeling, but as the settled conviction that God is faithful. Featuring reflections from Fr. Mike Schmitz, along with Scripture, the lives of the saints, the Angelus, and honest reflections on the blessings and crosses of everyday life, Joy to the World will guide us to recognize God’s presence and work in our lives, even when our circumstances haven’t changed. Because the promise of Christian joy isn’t a life without difficulty. It’s knowing that through all of it, God is with us.

"Joy doesn't just come in at Christmas. Advent is a season of preparation—but it's a season of joyful preparation. Joy is not something you and I have to wait for, joy is something that you and I have already been offered."

—Fr. Mike Schmitz

Experience Joy to the World

For Parishes & Groups

For Parishes & Groups

This Advent, help your parish discover a joy that grows from trust, not circumstance.

As part of Ascension’s Joy to the World Advent experience, parishes can distribute an all-in-one Advent devotional built around the daily practice of praying the Angelus—a small, steady habit that invites you to say yes to God with full trust and surrender, like Mary did, making your own personal fiat to the Lord in the ordinary moments of ordinary days.

Joy to the World: An Advent Journey with the Angelus includes daily written reflections with prompts and space to journal, plus weekly visio divina art meditations with reflection questions, making it ideal for parishioners to use individually or for small groups to work through together.

(A free small group guide and free Sunday homily videos with Fr. Mike are available here).

Bulk pricing starts as low as $3.50 per copy, and the devotional is available in both English and Spanish.

New this Advent, parishes with an Ascension parish subscription can offer every parishioner six months of premium Ascension app access for just $4.99. Parishioners can journey through Advent with Fr. Mike’s daily Joy to the World video reflections—a distinct experience that complements the parish devotional through the shared theme of Christian joy.

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For Individuals

For Individuals

Hundreds of thousands of Catholics have journeyed through Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz—first coming Face to Face with Jesus, then discovering the freedom of Waiting Well. This Advent, Fr. Mike returns with Joy to the World, a new daily series inviting us to go deeper into the Scriptures of the season and rediscover what we’re preparing to celebrate at Christmas.

In the busyness of Advent, these short daily reflections remind us to pause, listen to God’s Word, and prepare prepare our hearts for Christmas.

Each day, Fr. Mike will reflect on the readings from Mass and draw out their invitation to joy—helping you carry Advent beyond Sunday Mass and into the ordinary rhythm of daily life. Watch each reflection in the Ascension app, included with a monthly or annual subscription. New subscribers can begin with a 7-day free trial, then subscribe for $8.99/month or $59.99/year.

Prefer to step away from the screen? Pray with adaptations of Fr. Mike’s daily Advent reflections in the December edition of Alto. His reflections appear alongside the daily Mass readings, Morning and Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, reflections on Scripture and the saints, liturgical living inspiration, and more—everything laid out to help make prayer part of your Advent days.

However you follow along, make this Advent a daily journey toward joy.

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Praise for Past Advent with Ascension Series

“I LOVED [Waiting Well]! THANK YOU! This guided me through my very first Advent season as a 49-year-old Catechumen. I listened with the paper journal at hand every morning and it, too, was excellent in supporting my transformation. The one-word, daily virtue focus gave me purpose, perspective, and clarity amid the clamorous season.” —Melissa (December 2025)
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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I follow the individuals or the parishes path for Advent?

It depends on how you plan to experience Joy to the World this Advent.

If you’re looking for resources for your own personal prayer, choose the Individuals path. You can journey through Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz’s daily Joy to the World video reflections in the Ascension app or pray with adaptations of his reflections in the December edition of Alto.

If you’re a parish, school, ministry, or other group looking to journey through Advent together, choose the Parishes & Groups path. There you’ll find bulk copies of Joy to the World: An Advent Journey with the Angelus, along with resources to help bring the experience to your community.

Both paths explore the shared theme of Christian joy, but they are distinct Advent experiences with different content and resources.

My parish purchased discounted access for all parishioners—how do I sign up?

Download or open the Ascension app and log in to your account. Then search for your parish, select it, choose your role, and set the parish as your primary organization.

Once your parish is connected to your account, you’ll be able to access the special parishioner offer* and redeem your discounted premium subscription.

If you already have the Ascension app, there’s no need to create a new account—just sign in and add your parish to your existing profile.

*The parish discount is for new subscribers only. The discounted rate applies for the first year, then it will be full price upon renewal. Cancel anytime.

What if I already subscribe to the Ascension app?

If you already subscribe to the Ascension app, then Fr. Mike’s Joy to the World daily Advent videos are included in your subscription.

Customers with an active subscription are not eligible for the discounted parishioner pricing through their diocese or parish promo code.

What is the Angelus?

The Angelus is a traditional Catholic prayer that calls us to meditate on the Incarnation of Christ. The word angelus means “angel,” and the prayer invites us to pause in our busy days to recall the Annunciation, when Mary gave the angel Gabriel her consent to bear the Son of God.

Traditionally prayed three times a day (morning, afternoon, and night), many people choose to say it once, at noon. No matter how often we say it, the Angelus is a powerful prayer that enables us to draw closer to the Lord through Mary’s intercession. It provides a brief moment to consecrate ourselves and our day to God and to contemplate the mystery of Christ’s Incarnation.