28 December • The Reality of the Holy Family: Migrants, Poverty, & Hope
Beyond the tender scene of the manger lies a much grittier reality. In this episode of A Word of Hope, Father Yamil Samalot Rivera from Our Lady of the Rosary Priory in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, reflects on the Feast of the Holy Family.
Looking through the lens of St. Joseph in the Gospel of Matthew, Fr. Yamil reminds us that the Holy Family were Anawim—the poor of Yahweh. To save the Savior, they had to become migrants, fleeing to a foreign land to escape persecution. This reflection challenges us to see the mystery of Christmas not just as a celebration, but as a call to recognize God in the neediest and most suffering members of our communities.
As St. Athanasius said, "We are called to become like God, just as God became like us."
(Includes a summary in Spanish at the end of the video)
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⏱️ Video Timeline:
00:00 - Feliz Navidad & Introduction from Puerto Rico
00:23 - St. Joseph’s perspective in the Gospel of Matthew
00:50 - The trials of family life & the "Anawim" (God's Poor)
01:16 - The Holy Family as migrants and refugees
01:46 - Why Joseph couldn't return to Judea
02:07 - Settling in Nazareth: The social rejection of the poor
02:36 - St. Athanasius: Becoming like God
02:44 - Reflexión en Español (Spanish Summary)
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#HolyFamily #Catholic #StJoseph #WordOfHope #ChristmasSeason #Migrants #Faith #GospelOfMatthew #Anawim #DominicanFriars #PuertoRico #Bilingual #DailyReflection
