In Your Presence

A meditation by Fr. Eric Nicolai in Lyncroft centre in Toronto, preached on August 2, 2025, on the invitation to contemplation. We start with the scene of the transfiguration on Mount Tabor, where Peter is so captivated that he says: It is good that we are here. (Mark 9, 5) Domine, bonum est nos hic esse. What is the light that we must see to be dazzled in our contemplation of the divine? Music: O...

A meditation preached at Kintore College, an Opus Dei student residence in Toronto. Matthew 13:44-46: Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.  ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value h...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on July 25, 2025, the feast of St. James, at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto. Jesus called James and his brother John as they mended their nets on the Sea of Galilee. Their mother approached Jesus, asking that her sons be seated on either side of him in his kingdom. Jesus replied, “You do not know what you are asking.” Jesus turned to the brothers: “Can you dri...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Hawthorn School for Girls in Toronto. Matthew 13:1-9: A sower went out to sow. Jesus at the lakeside. The people all stood on the beach, and he told them many things in parables. He said, ‘Imagine a sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of rock where they...

A meditation preached at Lyncroft Centre, Toronto, on July 20, 2025. In Genesis 18 we have the account of the appearance of the Lord to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre.  It is a wonderful account, in the heat of the day, with the cicada and the grasshoppers buzzing and the heat haze. Then we get a mirror image of this with the account of Bethany, and Jesus being treated, with his apostles by Martha an...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto. The verse from the psalm: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Ps 42:2). To thirst like that is a deep desire nestled in the recesses of our heart. Our prayer now is an occasion to explore the inner chambers of our lives.  We should do so with sincerity and simplicity. Music: Michael Lee of Toronto, Ontario. Thumbna...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation in ernescliff College on July 11, 2025, the feast of Saint Benedict of Nursia. The Lord sent out the apostles, his ambassadors, he sent them out, telling them to heal, to resurrect the dead. That they should bring their peace upon the houses they visit. Your peace will fall upon them .

This is a meditation preached on July 9, 2025 at Kintore College in Toronto, after having spent almost a month in Germany. First reading is from Genesis 41. Our dramatic story of the terrible famine in Egypt. The origin of the phrase, go to Joseph . Joseph of the Old Testament had been mistreated and even hated by his brothers, now they come to him for help. It is a deeply emotional moment for Jos...

A meditation by Fr. Eric Nicolai preached at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto, June 7 2025. There is this incredible line in St. Paul in which he speaks of having the same sentiments that Christ Jesus had (cf. Phil 2:5). “Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he...

Mary was there at Pentecost, she was at the centre in the early community, so she plays her role in our life too. The Holy Spirit is like the active principle in our sanctification. Mary is called the spouse of the Holy Spirit: It was to her that the Holy Spirit went. Johnny Nash sang that hit tune in 1972: I can see clearly now the rain is gone I can see all obstacles in my way Gone are the dark...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Kintore College, Toronto on May 28, 2025. Jn 16, 12-15: Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the thi...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Ernescliff College on May 18, 2025. Upon entering the oratory, I notice the holy water font had a large artistically inscribed text just over the font itself, you can see it in large letters just as you dip your finger into the water: Domine, si vis, potes me mundare. Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean (Matt 8, 3). These are the beautiful words of...

A funeral homily for Mr. Peter Rebello at the church of St. Clement in Toronto on May 20, 2025. Peter died from Leukemia on May 13, the feast of our Lady of Fatima. He was 77. Music: Be not afraid by Bob Dufford with choir.org

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on May 18, 2025, at Lyncroft Center in Toronto. The Lord took care to leave a deep impression on the disciples, the apostles, when he gave them the mandatum novum. (John 13) It was like a special legacy that he wanted to leave behind. They remembered the words, his tone, but they especially remembered his gestures of tenderness and the warm tone of his voi...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on a day of recollection in Ernescliff College on May 11, 2025. I saw photos of Pope Leo XIV visiting Santa Maria Maggiore, praying in front of the Icon of Our Lady, Mother of God. She is showing us the child. She is showing us her son during the month of May when we have recourse to her. We can ask him to stir up the fire of our faith. Put little twigs an...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Lancemore Centre in Toronto on May 11, 2025. We all must grow in fraternity. If the centres is like a garden, all the flowers need light, all need water. There is always somebody caring for the cleanliness, showing interest in people coming. Let us examine how we cultivate this special atmosphere around us. Music: Regi Stone, All Heavens Declares. Strai...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on April 27, 2025 at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto. John 20, 21-23: After saying this he breathed on them and said: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive,they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.’ He had to breathe on them to give them that power. The breath of the Holy Spirit, like a sweet aroma that touched...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at St. Aidan's parish in Toronto, on April 22, 2025. The nature of the Easter Octave is that it be filled with joy. This year it is mingled with a sorrow, and upheaval in which we feel orphaned, but also weighed down by the urgency of the moment. The Church really needs a shepherd. It needs its vicar. We are forlorn. Dic nobis Maria, quid vidisti in via? T...

The joy of Easter Monday, is mingled now with the sorrow from the news of the death of Pope Francis. He has been called back to the Father. A man who gave himself totally to the service of the Church. It happens at the end of the UNIV congress in Rome, and when the Ordinary General Congress of Opus Dei begins. We will offer the Mass for the repose of his soul. This meditation was preached on April...

A meditation preached at Kintore College on April 15, 2025, Holy Wednesday. Matt 26, 25: One of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?’ They paid him thirty silver pieces, and from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray him. Such painful words, at an agonizing time for our Lord. He was...

A meditation was preached at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto on March 30, 2025. The story of the Prodigal Son is a story of conversion, an account of the role that bonds have in our life, and how we must be more aware of them, and strengthen them. Music: Regi Stone "How Can I tell You", Experience Music 2002, released 2015. Thumbnail: Pompeo Batoni prodigal son (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien)...

A meditation preached in Ernescliff College, Toronto, on March 28, 2025. Its been 100 years since that day in which a young 23-year Josemaria Escriva was ordained to the priesthood in the Basilica of Our Lady of El Pilar in Zaragoza, Miguel de los Santos.   There are things that we invite into our soul that leave us with a permanent imprint , a mark, an impression, like a long-lasting, expensive p...

Today is a solemnity, in which the exclusive focus is this intimate dialogue between a celestial creature, and the holiest woman ever created. Imagine the angel, see her bow in reverence, we hear her response, we image her fear, we sense concern, her slight confusion about her becoming mother, the reassuring response of the angel, his promise that ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel ans...

Preached on March 21, 2025 at Kintore college in Toronto. What is the nature of penance and mortification during lent? This is the most important of penance:To prepare the way so that Christ might actually live in us. Augustine would say: A vessel must be empty if it is to be filled, and if we are to be filled with the life of God we must be utterly empty of self. Music: Original track by Michael...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Lyncroft Centre, Toronto, on March 19, 2025. Joseph was in a state of emotional upheaval, until God told him in a dream what was happening with Mary. He knew what he had to do. He did not turn around in circles. Joseph’s response was immediate: “When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him” (Mt 1:24). Obedience made it pos...