In Your Presence

A meditation preached in Lyncroft Hospitality Centre on the Gospel of the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A) on the Gospel of the New Commandment. Music: Handel's Opera Rinaldo, aria: Lascia ch'io pianga, played in guitar by Bert Alink.

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on the feast of Saint John Paul II, who in his inaugural homily on October 22, 1978 spoke about how to overcome fear in our life. He had a daunting task ahead of him, and with God’s grace overcame fear. What are your fears? Music: Handel, Rinaldo Opera, Lascia ch’io pianga, played by Bert Alink

Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches at Kintore College. He recalls being in Rome during the years of the beatification of Josemaria Escriva by Pope John Paul II. Like a catapult officer on an aircraft carrier, he pointed the way to the battle. Music from Handel's opera Rinaldo, the aria is Lascia ch'io pianga, played by Bert Alink.

An account of the first Canadian born saint, Marguerite D’Youville, born in Varennes, Quebec in 1701. She faced poverty and lots of difficulties but nevertheless accepted these challenges with joy and optimism, confident of God's loving providence. Even when her convent burnt down to the ground in 1765. She was always aware that God always looks upon us with a gaze of love. Music compose by Handel...

A meditation addressed to Toronto priests. The Lord warns against hypocrisy because it runs against the dispositions of sincerity, authenticity, and sincerity that he wants us all to have. The result will be a deep cheerfulness. But we have to facilitate that sincere simplicity, which is opposite of pretence or hypocrisy. And especially anything that might suggest contempt for the other. Studies h...

St. Gabriel the archangel was entrusted wit the most important message in the history of humanity. He had to make sure it was understood and accepted freely. We can ask him to help us with our ability to listen to others, to develop empathy, and rouse up memorable conversations. Each dialogue can be like a deposit in the emotional bank account of our interlocutor. A meditation preached by Fr. Eric...

The praise addressed to our Lord's mother was reinforced when he spoke about her being blessed because she embraced the Word of God, meaning the will of God. Everything hung in the balance when the Angel Gabriel announced God's plan of redemption. The universe was waiting for her response. This is a meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Lyncroft hospitality centre in Toronto, on Oct 10, 2020....

Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches about the Adorote Devote, a Eucharistic hymn written by St. Thomas Aquinas. It is a hymn rich with faith at the real presence, the living presence of this living pelican who suffers and dies for us, but manages to stay with us. Music from Handel Rinaldo opera, Lascia ch'io pianga, played by Bert Alink. The thumbnail picture is a pall made by Talleres de Arte Granda

Fr. Eric Nicolai gives the opening meditation at a workshop at Cedarcrest Conference Centre in the Calendon Hills, in the village of Belfountain, north of Toronto. It is a rich truth that we must access habitually as a responsibility. Music from Handel’s opera, Rinaldo, Lascia ch’io pianga, played on the guitar by Bert Alink. Thumbnail: Saint Jerome in prayer, drawing by Rembrandt (1635) For more...

September 29th is feast of the Archangels. From Kintore College, Fr. Eric Nicolai invites us to consider the role of the archangels in the history of salvation. When were they created by God? What happened to Satan in the battle with Michael? Each Archangel was invoked by St. Josemaria when he was on silent retreat in Segovia in 1932. They would protect the different apostolates of Opus Dei: St. M...

Today, September 27, is the anniversary of the beatification of Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, first successor of Saint Josemaria. It took place Madrid in 2014. In a letter to the Prelate of Opus Dei, Pope Francis quoted a commonly-used phrase of Blessed Alvaro: "Thank you, forgive me, and help me more". Developing a habitual spirit of thanksgiving can protect us from the triggers of bad moods, gloo...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches at Kintore College about the feast of Our Lady of Ransom, or Our Lady of Mercy, a devotion that began in the 13th century as recourse for those Christians held captives the Islamic state. In Spanish, la virgin de la Merced. It is also the memorial of Blessed Emilie Gamelin-Travernier, a Montreal woman who founded the sisters of Providence in 19th century Quebec. Both occa...

Prov 21, 1-6; 10-13: The lying tongue is chasing a bubble over deadly snares….Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches at Ernescliff College and invites us to read these words of Solomon slowly. We sense words about the poisonous nature of pride, addressed to us. And how we need to build humility. One way is through what Pope Francis has called the theology of the encounter:  "Thanks solely to this encounte...

Preaching at St. Mark's parish in Stouffeville, Ontario, Fr. Eric Nicolai speaks about the nature of the interior struggle, or the Spiritual Combat, an expression coined by Lorenzo Scupoli, but which goes back to St. Paul, and Our Lord himself. Music from Handel, Lascia che io pianga, classical guitar played by Bert Alink. Thumbnail: Horace Vernet painting: La Bataille du Pont d'Arcole (1826). Fre...

Fr. Eric Nicolai gives a meditation to a group of priests in Toronto, on how we can correspond more generously to all the grace that God grants us. Our Lady of Sorrows is a splendid example. Plus some anecdotes about being truly patient.

Fr. John Lopez Agundez preaches about hope as the source of optimism: There's no optimism without hope. The hopeful man realizes he is a pilgrim walking to heaven; he does not look back, he looks forward. Josemaria saw the DYA academy bombed out during the Spanish Civil War, but shortly after that setback, he preached to the others about optimism. He was still hopeful and transmitted this to other...

On the 19th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Fr. Eric Nicolai speaks about the challenge of charity, especially to love those we don't find easy to love. C.S. Lewis said: "Do not waste time bothering whether you ‘love’ your neighbor; act as if you did." How am I really acting? Do I easily judge others? This is an opportunity to late God's grace sink in deeply.

She was born because God had chosen her from all eternity. Today it is not so much about her qualities, or what she did. Just that God brought into this world and that alone is worth celebrating. Like John the Baptist she is on the threshold between the Old Testament and the New. "Mary, the Daughter of Zion and ideal personification of Israel, is the last and most worthy representative of the Peop...

Fr. Eric Nicolai speaks about the beauty inherent in a life dedicated to others. This is only possible if we realize the extent of God's love for us. The Prophet Isaiah was a court prophet who constantly emphasized the value of fidelity to God. He famously expressed God's love for each person: "See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me." (Is 49, 15-16...

Fr. John Lopez Agundez preaches about the experience of St. Josemaria when he celebrated Mass: time seemed to stop. How can we follow Mass more devoutly and more focused on the supernatural reality in front of us?

A meditation by Fr. Eric Nicolai: Jesus says he must suffer, and Peter says God forbid…and he is rebuked with the strongest possible words: that he is satan. Meaning an obstacle to the salvific plans. This is about seeing our life too humanly, approaching challenges too passively. Do I experience the temptation of not embracing the cross that will make us grow in love? Opening and closing guitar c...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches about the dramatic account of the beheading of Saint John the Baptist and the situation in Herod's royal court. Herod’s banquet. The decadent and sensual atmosphere. The trendy people. Yet John defended the truth,  telling it plainly to those who needed to hear it. John was not a whiner or complainer. He was tough. An example to help us defend the truth to our friend...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches about St. Monica (331-387), who  prayers for years for the conversion of her son Augustine. He was brilliant, cultured, and had a wide circle of friends, but was seduced by the world. God gave in to her persevering prayers when he drew Augustine (354–430) to himself through beauty. 

Fr. Eric Nicolai invites us to imagine Jesus saying these words to the Pharisees: " woe to you pharisees, you hypocrites…" (Matt 23, 23-26).  I don’t know what it sounded like in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke. But the tone was important.  Sternest words of condemnation that ever came from our Lord's lips. There was also tone of deep sorrow. This is an invitation to examine how often...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches about the nature of joy, expressed as cheerfulness. This can be an obligation of charity, a duty to light up the house around us. Here are some examples about how to bring this about in our life.