I don’t like many of the newer Christian films that I see.

I know that sounds terrible, but the founder of the Daughters of St. Paul, Blessed James Alberione, may have agreed with me.

He once wrote:

Our works [must] be pastoral in content and worthy in form of the truths which they contain, and … present Jesus Christ, Way and Truth and Life.

“Worthy in form of the truths with they contain” is a key phrase for me.

Christian artists have a calling to create a form that is worthy of the subtle, astonishing, dazzling truth of our Christian faith. That is a high standard to live up to!

For film, a worthy form would mean an accurate, beautiful set, costumes, good acting, and writing that is captivating, subtle and true to Church teaching. Of course, this is costly and difficult to achieve and perhaps this is one reason I walk away from many new Christian movies feeling dissatisfied.

Recently, however, I had the opportunity to see “The Young Messiah.” I walked in skeptical and walked out amazed. I believe that this movie is worthy in form of the truth which it contains.

The movie explores the life of Jesus when he was seven years old. The little boy who plays Jesus (Adam Greaves-Neal) does an astounding job.

Of course, we know very little about this time in the life of Jesus so much of the film is an imaginative exploration of what it may have been like for Jesus. But despite the creative license necessarily employed in the movie, Archbishop Chaput called the movie “a portrait true to biblical faith.”

The movie continues to feed my imagination and my prayer.

The Daughters of St. Paul are excited about this movie too.

Sr. Helena Burns writes:

“The Young Messiah” shows lots of homework was done. No trendy twenty-first-century ideas plopped in. No outlandish “what if” musings (beyond Jesus bringing a bird back to life). The dialogue is so carefully crafted that every word effortlessly rings true in these fully fleshed-out and delightful characters. The text of the Scriptures is faithfully adhered to (without really taking liberties) …. The British-accented cast slays it.

In keeping with The Daughters of St. Paul’s charism to spread to the Gospel using modern media, we have put together a “cinema novena” to the Holy Family that will feature exclusive content from the movie The Young Messiah.

You can sign up at any time to do this novena, but the novena officially begins on Friday, March 11th and ends on Saturday, March 19th, the feast of St. Joseph Patron of Families.

Every day you’ll receive a theme to meditate and pray with, joining with the Daughters of Saint Paul and many others in daily invocations to the Holy Family.

To participate in this cinema novena of prayer, just visit http://lightalongtheway.com/youngmessiah, and please invite your family, religious education class, adult faith-formation class, parish, and schools to join in as well!

You’ll be able to view clips from The Young Messiah movie (opening March 11th) to help inspire you to consider different areas where you can grow in faith and trust, in imitation of the Holy Family during this Year of Mercy.

I hope you will consider joining us on this journey with the Holy Family!

Sign up here: http://lightalongtheway.com/youngmessiah.