In November 2019, the Church released “The Christ Child,” a short film depicting the Nativity story. With 8.3 million views and a comments section full of love and awe, the film is now one of the top videos on the Church’s YouTube channel.
“The Christ Child” stands apart from other Church videos in that it’s available to watch only in Aramaic, the language that Mary and Joseph would’ve used. Aramaic is now largely unspoken except for in academic circles and small communities in the Middle East.
But this detail seemed to resonate deeply with viewers.
One wrote, “I am crying like a kid. I don't understand the language, but I know the whole story in my heart. So touching. Thank you.”
“I love the reverence, silence, and the knowing in their eyes. Lovely,” shared another commenter.
One even stated, “This is it.... This is the best version of the Nativity story. Not even close.”
I was similarly moved when I watched the film for the first time while studying abroad in the Holy Land. Its humble authenticity made something overwhelmingly clear to me.
What the Film Reaffirms
Five years ago, I lay in bed in a small condo on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, surrounded by notebooks, my laptop, a pile of used tissues, and cough drop wrappers.
My study abroad program was nearing its end, and for the third time that semester, I was sick.
I climbed into bed that November night with a lot on my mind. I’d received a text from my dad earlier in the day telling me that one of my aunts had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Though the doctors had caught the cancer in its early stages and my aunt’s prognosis was good, I remember feeling worried for her and overcome by the realization that life was truly fleeting. This was magnified by the fact that I was under the weather in a foreign country far from my family.
A couple of days before, the Church had released “The Christ Child.” A few people had recommended I watch it, so I pulled it up on my phone in the dark and put in my earbuds so I wouldn’t wake my roommates.
I was immediately absorbed by the video’s arresting subtlety. The lines spoken by the actors were sparse, and gentle firelight illuminated most of the scenes. Mary’s and Joseph’s bravery was communicated through the poignant expressions on their dirty faces, as was Mary’s love when she sang a quiet lullaby to her new baby, Jesus Christ.
I was surprised by the tears dropping from my eyes later in the film as the wise men bowed to Jesus, then a sweet-faced toddler.
I can’t recall having ever been struck so forcefully by the reality of the Savior’s birth. It became overwhelmingly clear to me as I watched the video that my elder brother, Jesus, had come to earth to save me. My whole heart was filled with inexpressible gratitude.
Despite the circumstances of that day, my world felt incredibly safe and small that night. I felt known, I felt accounted for, and I felt deeply, as Sister Amy A. Wright testified, that “in the end, because of Jesus Christ, everything can be OK.”
And even though Jesus Himself had walked on the Sea of Galilee that was outside my window, I believe I would’ve still felt His holy peace had I been anywhere else in the world. That’s the miraculous nature of His Atonement.
As I watched “The Christ Child” again this winter, I was reminded of the love and majesty of Heavenly Father’s plan for His children. If Jesus Christ could save the world through such humble and obscure beginnings, there is no question that He can perform unimaginable miracles in our lives, too. I’m grateful that this beautiful film could reaffirm that knowledge to me.
Watch “The Christ Child” below.
For more content about Jesus Christ, check out these articles:
▶ A simple way to feel connected to Christ in the here and now
▶ 13 life-changing books to help you study the Atonement of Jesus Christ
▶ If you feel strapped for time, this detail from the Savior’s ministry is a game-changer