In Your Presence

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.

Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches at Lyncroft Hospitality centre in Toronto. The Queenship of Mary is the logical corollary of her assumption, and the natural expression of Christ's kingship over all the universe. Painting is Pierre-Claude-François Delorme, "La Vierge" (1834) in the château de Compiègne, France

Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches about the solemnity of the Assumption, and the dormition of our Lady, how it was fitting that the Lord should want her body and soul in heaven.

August 14th is his feast day: Here is a meditation by Fr. Eric Nicolai on the account of of how Maximilian received the red crown of martyrdom and the white crown of holy purity.

Bishop Alvaro quoted from an old letter of Saint Josemaria: The Father advises his children: "Endeavour to be in Mariano's school always. It is the school of little things." Saint Josemaria would sometimes sign his letters, "Mariano", as a way to honour our Blessed Mother. But the School of Mariano is all about the delicate drive to put love in the small things of everyday. Here is a meditation pr...

In this meditation to High School students, Fr. Eric Nicolai mentions the early Christians, who suffered persecutions right from the start. The Lord sends us out into an apostolic dynamism, despite what it might cost us. Today polls show that Catholics are often afraid to share their faith, and are not ready to persuade others of their faith. Catholics are among the least likely to want to persuad...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai (July 9, 2020) at St. Ann's Parish in Hamilton, Ontario for a group of priests from Toronto and Hamilton.

King David was chosen by God, because Yahweh knew his heart.

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on March 19, 2020 in Toronto, on the solemnity of Saint Joseph, who intercedes for us as protector, and helps us to overcome the paralysis of fear. He intercedes for us to protect us in our divine vocation and to give us a supernatural sense of our mission, of that covenant that God made with us.

An account of the life of Saint Josemaria Escrivá, hauled up in hiding in the Legation of Honduras in Madrid during the Spanish Civil War in 1937. His isolation and seclusion with friends has parallels with our current Pandemic. Preached in Toronto