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 Nathan Ashburn and John Paul Hartnedy Published: Saturday, May 27, 2023 You become another Christ, “alter Christus,” through ordination, so you are to offer yourself to God as well, in every Mass you celebrate, united to Jesus, whose priest you will be. |
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Graduation 2023 Published: Sunday, May 21, 2023 It is through prayer and reflection that, over time, we discover our role in God's plan, so prayer and reflection is the place for you to start. This is the only truly solid foundation for making decisions of this magnitude. |
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Ascension of the Lord 2023 Published: Sunday, May 21, 2023 There is confusion about whether the Ascension occurred in Jerusalem or Galilee, though the Church gives more weight to Matthew's memory, that it was in Galilee since he was an eyewitness while Luke was not. But actually, where it occurred is really beside the point. What is important is the meaning of the event, which is clear in both accounts. |
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Deacon Ordination of Cody Eveld Published: Friday, May 19, 2023 It is true that you become part of a much bigger family and have access to far deeper levels of spiritual intimacy with more people than would ever be possible without the clear sexual boundaries that celibacy protects — many blessings, to be sure — but a big sacrifice nonetheless, and not without temptations to be faced and overcome, as all these priests present can certainly attest. |
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Installation to Acolyte Mass 2023 Published: Wednesday, May 17, 2023 ... You should strive to live more fully by the Lord’s sacrifice and be molded more perfectly in its likeness, thereby offering yourself daily to God in union with our offering of Jesus to the Father from this altar, you yourself becoming also a spiritual sacrifice offered to God in union with Jesus our Savior. |
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Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A 2023 Published: Sunday, May 14, 2023 God has placed an often-unrecognized hunger for Jesus in the soul of every person on this planet, a deeply felt need for mercy and forgiveness that only he can fill, an inner ally that is available to undermine that person's resistance to the movement of the Holy Spirit. |
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Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year A 2023 Published: Saturday, May 6, 2023 Jesus prepares us in the Church, in the sacraments, in prayer and in Scripture for every — as yet unknown — twist and turn that we will ever face in this life. We're not exactly blindfolded, but sometimes we get so thoroughly blindsided by events that it seems like we are. |
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Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A 2023 Published: Sunday, April 30, 2023 We need to continue to be vigilant. Good Shepherd Sunday is not just about praying for vocations. It is also about commiting ourselves to protecting the innocent lambs in God’s flock. |
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Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter 2023 Published: Wednesday, April 26, 2023 Every time someone raises an objection Jesus has the opportunity to back-pedal, to say "no, no, no, you're taking me too literally; this is just an image, just symbolic, not to worry!" But instead Jesus just pours it on all the more; in effect, "If you have a problem with that, wait till you hear this!" A problem with eating his flesh? "Amen, amen I say to you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you have no life in you!" Jesus knows what he's saying and he means what he's saying — now the ball's in our court! |
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Third Sunday of Easter, Year A 2023 Published: Sunday, April 23, 2023 He was there all right, really present, but they didn't know it. It is only when he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to them that their eyes were opened to the presence of the one who had been with them all along, whereupon he vanished from their sight. |
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Friday of the Second Week of Easter 2023 Published: Friday, April 21, 2023 Come to Jesus and you will never lack anything you really need because he will give you what you need, which of course is not necessarily everything we might desire, since often we desire things that in his wisdom God knows are actually not for our ultimate good or the good of others. |
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Divine Mercy Sunday 2023 Published: Sunday, April 16, 2023 Jesus speaks words of peace to us, frees us from our fears, forgives us our sins, restores peace to our broken and remorseful hearts, breathes into us the eternal life of God's new creation and then sends us forth to bring to others the same peace and reconciliation that we ourselves have so undeservedly received. |
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Friday of the Octave of Easter 2023 Published: Friday, April 14, 2023 To fulfill our mission effectively, we need to receive the Lord’s forgiveness ourselves, and be ready to suffer adversity as the cost of being faithful to God, embracing possible martyrdom like Jesus; our love stronger than our fear. |
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Easter Sunday 2023 Published: Sunday, April 9, 2023 Easter is the day when we renew our baptismal promises and at the same time incorporate new members into the Church, initiating them into Jesus’ death and resurrection through the sacraments of baptism, Eucharist and confirmation. |
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Easter Vigil 2023 Published: Saturday, April 8, 2023 We know that in the end the light is stronger than the darkness, and we are sons and daughters of the light. |
