Official Website of the
Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
Bishop Taylor Homily Library
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor celebrates Mass across Arkansas and beyond. This library features the homilies delivered from March 2014 to the present. To listen to earlier homilies, please visit the bishop's Homily Archive.
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Priesthood Ordination of Deacons Jaime Nieto and Daniel Wendel Published: Saturday, May 28, 2022 Through ordination Jesus equips you to do all this and much more, except that it will not be you doing it. It will be Jesus doing everything through you. One of the ways that you will do this will be through the sacrament of reconciliation, right in line with what we see in the Gospel passage you chose for today’s ceremony. |
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Deacon Ordination of Nathan Ashburn Published: Wednesday, May 25, 2022 The destiny of every one of those sheep is to get sheared and part of the role of a shepherd is to accompany the sheep in their time of shearing, which human sheep find very disconcerting, especially when it involves loss. |
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Installation to Acolyte Mass 2022 Published: Monday, May 23, 2022 Cody, as an installed acolyte, you will have a permanent role in the Church’s eucharistic ministry. The summit and source of the Church’s life is the Eucharist, which builds up the community and makes it grow. |
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Deacon Ordination of John Paul Hartnedy Published: Thursday, May 19, 2022 John Paul, whether you knew it or not, the Lord has had plans for you from before you were ever born. In that sense he has called you from your mother’s womb, and like Jeremiah, you have said: “yes.” |
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Installation to Lector Mass 2022 Published: Monday, May 16, 2022 Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to lead us to a deeper and deeper knowledge of God and the truths of religion. Meaning there is no excuse for a Christian to have a closed mind. If you think you know all you need to know about our faith, you don't even know much about the Holy Spirit. |
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Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C Published: Saturday, May 14, 2022 Jesus knew in advance who would betray him, who would deny him and who would abandon him. He accepted them just as they were, defects and all, and when the time came, he forgave them. |
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Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders Mass 2022 Published: Monday, May 9, 2022 And Jesus has not just called you, he will also protect you and provide for you and be there for you, especially in times of adversity. You belong! And as I think you have already discovered; no priest or seminarian has a better home than we do here in the Diocese of Little Rock! |
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Interfaith Prayer Breakfast Presentation Published: Friday, May 6, 2022 You should take comfort in knowing that your role in the legal system can bring peace, so long as you are really working to treat everyone fairly, searching for ways to reconcile differences. “If you want peace, work for justice.” |
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Third Sunday of Easter, Year C Published: Sunday, May 1, 2022 He rehabilitates Peter, getting him to profess three times that he loves Jesus to erase the three times he had denied even knowing him, and then he entrusts to Peter the care of his flock (the Church) going forward. |
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Divine Mercy Sunday 2022 Published: Sunday, April 24, 2022 We gather for this Mass of hope and healing, we pray for those who have suffered the grave injustice of sexual abuse by clergy and others in our Church and society. And we commit ourselves to doing all in our power to set things right: to help victims from the past and to work hard to make sure that these crimes never occur again. |
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Easter Vigil 2022 Published: Saturday, April 16, 2022 By cooperating with the power of God’s grace, you can overcome all those inner fears and insecurities that prevent you from really dying to yourself so as to live fully for God. Jesus has set us free and enabled us to face our fears and bear our own crosses courageously so as to then wear a crown, sharing fully ourselves in the fruits of Jesus’ victory. |
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Good Friday of the Lord's Passion 2022 Published: Friday, April 15, 2022 On Good Friday we discover that the cross is salvific, including the crosses in our own lives, what cause is there for anger there? If Jesus, who is without sin, embraced the cross with sacrificial love, who are we to resent the adversities with which God sees fit to bless us, and indeed, save us? |
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Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper 2022 Published: Thursday, April 14, 2022 Footwashing on the other hand, is unlike the Eucharist and the priesthood in as much as it has to do with a mandate rather than a sacrament — hence Maundy Thursday. And the mandate is not about washing feet per se, but rather a command that we undertake acts of humble, selfless service as symbolized by the washing of feet. |
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Chrism Mass 2022 Published: Monday, April 11, 2022 Brother priests, I want you to know how grateful I am for you. I should express this more often. I am forever bragging about you. Unlike some other dioceses, there are no real divisions among us. It is clear that you like each other and support each other, and that you support me in my efforts — for which I am very grateful. Not every bishop can say that. |
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Palm Sunday 2022 Published: Sunday, April 10, 2022 Arrested as a blasphemer, condemned as an insurrectionist, still hailed as king but now only in mockery by his torturers. No more cloaks on the ground to honor him, now they strip him of his clothing to dishonor him. |
