Advent invites us into a joy that is quiet, humble, and rooted in God’s presence. In Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, we glimpse this joy on a cold Christmas morning when the March sisters awaken with excitement and anticipation. Their delight is not in what they receive, but in the simple, sacrificial act of giving—an early reminder that true happiness grows when shared. Alcott captures this perfectly: “That was a very happy breakfast, though they didn’t get any of it.” In their generosity, we see the essence of big joy, waiting quietly in ordinary moments.
Little Women and the Gift of Big Joy
On that Christmas morning, Jo complains, “Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents,” reflecting the familiar longing of childhood. Yet the sisters’ hearts quickly turn outward. They give up their breakfast to help the Hummel family, poor immigrants who might otherwise go hungry. Their act of kindness shows that joy does not depend on abundance, noise, or recognition—it grows in humility, love, and community.
Hidden Joy in Ordinary Moments
The March sisters’ happiness is interior and quiet. They return home cold and tired, yet their hearts are full. This contrast between their humble joy and the consumer-driven world around them underscores a timeless truth: real joy is often hidden, humble, and deeply satisfying.
Gaudete Sunday reminds the Church to rejoice—not because all is perfect, but because the Lord is near. Similarly, the March family’s Christmas morning mirrors Mary’s Magnificat, which exalts God’s mercy and celebrates the reversal of worldly expectations (Luke 1:46–55). Joy does not require abundance; it requires openness of heart and a willingness to participate in God’s love.
Scripture reinforces this:
- Philippians 4:4 calls us to “Rejoice in the Lord always. . . The Lord is near.”
- Isaiah 61:1–3 portrays joy as a balm for the poor and brokenhearted.
By giving to the Hummels, the sisters share big joy with both those they serve and themselves.
Spiritual Insight: Big Joy Through Selflessness
True joy often appears when we forget ourselves. By focusing on others, we participate in God’s love and bring light into a world that often feels cold or distracted. Alcott, though not overtly theological, writes from a Christian moral vision: goodness, virtue, and acts of love are paths to true happiness.
The March sisters’ Christmas morning shows that big joy grows quietly, multiplying through generosity and care. It is the joy of giving without expectation, of loving without measure, and of finding contentment in simple acts of kindness.
Reflection and Invitation: Big Joy
This Advent, consider where you can choose the joy of giving in your own life. Are you open to the kind of joy that doesn’t always feel grand but fills the soul? Like the March sisters, happiness can be humble, sacrificial, and transformative.
Big joy waits wherever love and generosity meet—whether during Advent, on Gaudete Sunday, or any ordinary day. In giving, we find the deepest delight, and in sharing, our hearts overflow.
Growing in Big Joy
The March sisters show that the deepest joy does not come from what we possess but from who we become through love. Their Christmas morning reflects what Fr. Robert Spitzer describes as the higher levels of happiness, those rooted in contribution, meaning, and spiritual fulfillment. When the sisters give away their breakfast, they step into a joy that is bigger than circumstances and brighter than momentary pleasure. It is the kind of joy that lasts because it flows from self-gift.
If you want to cultivate this same “big joy” in your own life, joy that grows from purpose, generosity, and a relationship with God, Four Levels of Happiness: Your Path to Personal Flourishing offers a clear and hopeful guide. It helps us understand why moments like the March sisters’ sacrifice feel so full and how we, too, can rise above stress, comparison, and consumer-driven pressures. As Advent continues, consider taking a deeper look at what truly satisfies the heart. The journey toward higher happiness is the journey toward holiness, and it is one we are all invited to begin.
