This meditation was preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai to a group of priests at St. Paul the Apostle parish in Toronto on June 11, 2024. Today is the feast of the apostle St. Barnabas. Who was Barnabas? Acts says he spoke boldly, and effectively, and defended St. Paul. We imagine them both speaking with lots of self-confidence. Saint Josemaria dreamt abo…

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 d…

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…

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…

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 behi…

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 mind…

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 Ce…

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 Kintor…

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 …

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 …

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,…

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…

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 the…

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 Aqu…

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: …

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 s…

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 n…

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 Lor…

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…

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 co…

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 …

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, …

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 …

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 not…

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 be…

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation as the introduction to a retreat for priests of various dioceses at the Manoir de Beaujeu, near Montreal. It was preached on February 28, 2024. Mark 1:21-28: Today’s Gospel about the authority with which Jesus spoke in the synagogue of Capernaum. It was a place of quiet, to read the Word of God, and to pray…

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation to High School boys at Ernescliff College in Toronto on January 27, 2024. It is a commentary of Gospel of Mark 4:35-41 about Jesus calming the storm from the boat of Peter. He mentions how we may have dark storms in our life, but we must confide in God's providence, who is always present next to us, even if…

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation at Kintore College, Toronto on the Feast of Saint Francis de Sales, and the memorial of Our Lady of Peace, the advocation for the Prelatic Church of Opus Dei in Rome. This is where St. Josemaria rests, beneath the main altar. Peace can be sewn in our soul through ongoing formation. St. Francis de Sales exce…

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this Introduction to a retreat for High School Boys at Cedarcrest Conference Centre, north of Toronto, January 20, 2024. Saint Fabian and St. Sebastian. Two early Christian martyrs. Luke 5, 12-16: The story of the leper. He lived in isolation, cut off from normal contact with others. Unable to interact normally. Looked dow…

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation at Kintore College in Toronto, on January 18, ant the start of the Octave of prayer for Christian unity. Mark 3:7-12: Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeside, and great crowds from Galilee followed him. From Judaea, Jerusalem, Idumaea, Transjordania and the region of Tyre and Sidon, great numbers …

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation to a group of priests in Toronto, on January 16, 2024. Like brother Lawrence's experience in the 17th century, he saw a tree in the winter, and it was just branches, without leaves or flowers. But upon looking at it, he received the grace to realize that within just a few months that tree would be totally i…

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation on retreat at the Manoir de Beaujeu, west of Montreal, on December 28, 2023. Today the Holy Innocents. The priest’s vestments are red, the color of martyrs, in memory of those Innocents who gave testimony to Christ, as the opening prayer says non loquendo sed moriendo, not by speaking but by dying, as first…

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation to families at Kintore College in Toronto, on December 22, 2023. But today we get the explosion of joy in her Magnificat: Hearing such praise from her cousin, Our Lady replied with words which have become that most beautiful hymn of jubilation: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Sa…

Mary went with haste, and did not procrastinate. Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation on December 20, 2023 at Hawthorn School for Girls in Toronto. Luke 1:39-56: Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. What is the real meaning of that haste. Ho…

A corrected version of the meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Kintore College, Dec 7, 2023. Matt 7, 24-27: Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Music: Carlos Gardel, Soledad, arranged for guitar by Bert Alink. Thumbnail: Eugene Burnand, House on Rock…

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation to a group of young men at Ernescliff College in Toronto, on December 9, 2023. The Gospel of Mark 10, 17-31 tells the account of the young man who presented himself to Jesus and asked what he must do to obtain eternal life. A challenging exchange ensued. To dig into this, we must have a deep understanding o…

We have just begun today the novena to the Immaculate Conception. It starts with the feast of St. Andrew, the brother of Peter. The two became the most effective apostles ever, and they remained faithful to the end, both of them dying by crucifixion. Peter in Rome, Andrew in Greece. The novena has this tone of apostolic zeal. This sense of fervour …

St. Josemaria had a magnanimous soul, he drew beauty, and great dreams of ambition to sanctity out of others. What is our greatest ambition? He said: The greatest ambition of the children of God in Opus Dei . . . must always be to serve. Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation in Ernescliff College, Toronto, on the eve of the Solemnity of Christ …

Yesterday we had the passage from Luke about the blind man who is healed by Jesus also in Jerico. From Matthew we know the blind man’s name, Bartimaeus. Today Luke 19 tells us about another man, also in Jerico, but on the opposite side of the social spectrum. Not a poor blind man without power, money or standing. But a publican, a tax collector who…

Today's reading is from Luke 18:35-43, about the blind man of Jerico, healed by Jesus. This passage lends itself to our prayer, because we can easily conjure up the image, the sounds, the atmosphere, the smells, that the blind man was experiencing. We weren’t there, and we too are blind, in a way. And he reacted. Saint Josemaria has a long commenta…

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached today November 11: at the 11th hour, the 11th day, the 11th month in 1918, the bugle sounded to announce the ceasing of all hostilities. Today we remember the fallen. Now Poppy is emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem "In Flanders Fields" written by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. In Flanders fields …

After the 313 edict of Emperor Constantine which conceded to Christians the freedom to practice their religion, Pope Silvester dedicated the Basilica of St. John the Lateran as the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. It was dedicated in 324. What does this mean to us today? Fr. Eric Nicolai gives a brief explanation at Kintore College, Toronto, on Nov…

Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches in Kintore College from today's Gospel: Luke 14, 25-33: ‘And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, the onlookers would all start maki…

Psalm 127: Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum, in vanum laboraverunt, qui aedificant eam. Nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem, frustra vigilat, qui custodit eam. Psalm 127: Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early an…

Letter from the Prelate of Opus Dei, February 2023: 7. Understanding also has a close relationship with the extraordinarily important reality of forgiveness: both asking for forgiveness and forgiving. In April 1974, our Father told us that “the most divine reality in our life as Christians, as children of God in Opus Dei, is to forgive those who ha…

It pains us to see such hatred exploding now in the world, from the divisons in politics, the screams, the demonstrations, the protests, and the denunciations. Women against men, left against right, liberal against conservative. The divisions go on. We are not really in a position to offer political solutions. People have been trying for years. But…

St. Luke, evangelist and apostle, responsible for the Gospel and for Acts of Apostles. A native of Antioch in Syria and a physician, and one of the early converts from paganism. He accompanied St. Paul on a considerable part of his missionary journey. He was also his companion while in prison at Rome. He was in the thick of it. He saw the growth of…

Matthew 22:1-14: The King who sought to invite people to the wedding feast of his son, but nobody would come. What is to be done? There is nothing for it but to send out into the streets and lanes of the city, the highways and hedges of the countryside, and bring in the poor, the lame, the halt, and the blind, and fill up the vacant seats with gues…

Luke 11:15-26: Today’s Gospel has words of Jesus speaking about the devil, and the attempts of demons to overtake us. But if the devil is divided, he falls apart. Unity in the church is what keeps it together. Grace also gives unity to our soul. St. Therese of Lisieux recounts how one of her earliest memory was that of a dream. She saw the fiery lo…