In Your Presence

A meditation preached at Kintore College in Toronto, by Fr. Eric Nicolai, on May 30, 2024. Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz was elected Prelate of Opus Dei in 2016. In the Old Testament book of Samuel there is a text that foreshadows the priesthood in the church and the role of the priest: 1 Sam 2, 35: "I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind....

A meditation preached on June 1, 2024 at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto by Fr. Eric Nicolai. John 6 has this powerful discourse. Words of our Lord, speaking slow, articulating each word, speaking clearly, enunciating, people listening as the warm wind blew and the birds chirped. He probably said something that underlined that this was not all symbolism. This was real. The Jews asked "How can this...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation on May 24, 2024 at Cedarcrest conference Centre in Belfountain, Ontario. Luke 10, 5: “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’  If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around fr...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation at Cedarcrest Conference centre north of Toronto, on May 21, 2024. We read in the prayer of consecration to the Holy Spirit, there was a description of the nature of the Paraclete himself, the consoler, the spirit of truth. It talks about the gifts he leaves in us, and then all the fruits that are left behind, that are noticeable in a person who has truly...

A meditation preached on April 1, 2024 by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Serra House in Toronto. Serra House accommodates seminarians for the Archdiocese of Toronto in the initial stage of formation. Music: A. Vivaldi_ Nisi Dominus, RV 608 - IV. Cum dederit (128 kbps)

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached the meditation at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto on May 4th, 2024. Our lady will teach us, she will nudge us, because she is teacher of prayer. When we pray, we ask her ut loquaris pro nobis bona , to speak well on our behalf before the Lord.  She speaks well of us. Intercedes while we pray, while we work, while we keep our minds occupied. Original music intro by Michael Lee...

Domina ut sit . Mary, may it be. Fix it. Fr. Eric Nicolai begins with a pastoral letter by Archbishop Leo of Toronto: "When faced with uncertainty and perplexing events in her own life, Myriam of Nazareth did not “wonder” but “pondered,” not fully understanding, yet always remaining faithful (Lk 2:19). A meditation by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto, preached on May 5, 2024. Th...

And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. ” (Matt 3, 16) Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation on May 2, 2024 at Kintore College in Toronto about divine filiation. Musi...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation in a retreat at Kintore College on May 1, 2024, Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. The feast of St. Joseph the Worker was established by Pope Pius XII in 1955 in order to Christianize the concept of labor and give to all workmen a model and a protector. But it was meant to be a way for all to see work through a different lens. Not one of class struggle, but i...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation on April 28, 2024, the fifth Sunday of Easter at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto. Acts 9:26-31: Barnabas explained how the Lord had appeared to Saul on his journey. Barnabas convinces the apostles about the newly converted Paul. Why are they convinced? Because Paul had spoken boldly in defence of the Lord. What does it mean for us to be bold, to be daring in de...

This is a meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on March 15th 2024 at Ernescliff College. It is based on Wisdom 2, 12-20 : Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us of sins against our training. He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord . He becam...

Fr. Eric Nicolai peached this meditation at Lyncroft centre in Toronto on April 6, 2024. What is God’s will? Before the Lord was arrested, the apostles were with him, ostensibly to protect him, but they couldn’t stop the soldiers from arresting the Lord. Judas came with the chief priests. But the Lord was praying, and abandoned entirely to the Lord. Jesus is kneeling, he is sweating blood of angui...

A meditation preached on April 3 by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Kintore College, Toronto. Today we get one of the most famous appearances of Jesus: His appearance suddenly walking next to the disciples of Emmaus. They were looking down, maybe hoping for someone to give them a lift, but no cars were passing. He managed to explain everything to them, and they recognized him. Thumbnail: Robert Zund, On the R...

The Victimae Paschali is an ancient sequence dating to the 11th century. It is an option to sing it or recite it during the Easter Octave. Fr. Eric Nicolai dives into this profound and ancient sonnet about the discovery of the empty tomb. Preached at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto, on April 1, 2024. Music: Chant of the Easter Sequence by Sisters of Aquinas Victimae Paschali Laudes . Thumbnail: Convent...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation in Kintore College, Toronto, on March 27, 2024. What a contrast between the gratitude and generosity of Mary of Bethany and the painful betrayal of Judas, one who was from his inner circle (Matthew 26:14-25). The searing and painful treachery of Judas' infidelity is a danger we must be aware of. Thumbnail: Kiss of Judas, fresco by Giotto, Scrovegni Cha...

A meditation preached at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto on Palm Sunday, 2024. All the witnesses of the events that occurred at the Passover of that year in Jerusalem preserved the searing memory of the most significant events suffered by the one whom they confessed as the promised Messiah. They recorded all this that was suffered by the Lord with the specific intention of extracting the salvific power...

A meditation preached on March 20, 2024 at Hawthorn School for Girls. We are closing into the end of Lent. Yesterday we celebrated the solemnity of St. Joseph. We have been meditating on this figure during Lent. Sometimes seen as the silent type in the corner, who doesn’t say much. He may have taught Jesus the art of carpentry, yes. But that does not mean he was silently stepping back in the backg...

March 19, 2024 is the solemnity of St. Joseph, the foster Father of Jesus. On this occasion, Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation to Ernescliff College, Toronto. Today we go from the Trinity on earth, Mary, Jesus and Joseph, to the Trinity of heaven, Father, son and Holy Spirit. Matt 1, 20:  But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph so...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation at Ernescliff College on March 13, 2024. John 5:17-30: Jesus said to the Jews, ‘My Father goes on working, and so do I.’ But that only made them even more intent on killing him, because, not content with breaking the sabbath, he spoke of God as his own Father, and so made himself God’s equal. He gives signs of his divinity, indicating that his actions are...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation at Ernescliff College, Toronto on March 10, 2024. We started Lent with the figure of the devil tempting Jesus in the desert. First , this is an opportunity today to ask for conversion. Like the 40 years of the Jews in the desert, or 40 days of Moses on the Mountain, or Elijah 40 days too. It must lead to conversion, we can’t just roll on and on and stay th...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation to a group of priests at the Manoir de Beaujeu, near Montreal on February 27, 2024. In one of his letters, St. Paul reflects his deep solicitude and his joy at seeing and experiencing the growth of the faith in the Ephesians. It moves him to thanksgiving and prayer. Eph 1, 15-20: For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and you...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Kintore College, Toronto, on the Feast of the Chair of Peter, February 22, 2204. Today’s feast is like the result of the prayer of Jesus, or better, the testimony that Jesus gave of his own prayer to the Father for Peter: “ The Lord says to Simon Peter: I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail, and, once you have turned back, strengthen your b...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation to a group of diocesan priests at the Manoir de Beaujeu, near Montreal, on February 1, 2024. Easter Vigil Gospel: Mark 16, 1-7 The women: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, had an important task. When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very e...

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation on February 9, 2024 at Kintore College in Toronto. Base on the gaze of Jesus on the crowds. Mark 8, 1-10: A great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat. So Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them, ‘ I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. If I send them off home hungry they...

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto. Matt 5, 13-16: “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world." And he warned us of losing our tastiness, our virtue of bringing out the good, the winder, the humour of life. Or even the spice.  The Nunc dimittis prayer by the aged Simeon can open our hope to being that light. (Lk 2, 25-32) Music: Adrift...