On Saturday November 21, 27 deacons we’re ordained in Rome for the Prelature of Opus Dei. Among them the first Lithuanian, a Croatian, a young Japanese and a Montrealer, Fadi Sarraf, originally fromSyria. It was a moment of joy, but with all the masks present, absence of families that couldn’t come, and the careful distancing, one could sense that they were taking advantage of the grace of the pandemic. What exactly is this grace, and how can we take advantage of it? Summary of the ordination: h...
Nov 24, 2020•27 min
Fr. John Lopez Agundez preaches from Montreal about the challenge of becoming saints in our world, in our work. Music: Recordações do passado (Souvenirs from the Past) a Valsa for piano (1885) by Ernesto Nazareth arranged for guitar by Bert Alink non monetize. From https://musopen.org Thumbnail: pexels.com
Nov 17, 2020•31 min
Matt 25, 14-30: You have been faithful in small things: come and join in your master's happiness. In this 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, the last of the liturgical calendar before Christ the King, the Church presents us with the Gospel of the talents. The story of the master who settles his accounts with his servants. We all love to hear these words: ”well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibility." Or I will entrust you wit...
Nov 15, 2020•31 min
Today’s Gospel is about the end times. Luke 17:26-37: ‘As it was in Noah’s day, so will it also be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating and drinking, marrying wives and husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. It will be the same as it was in Lot’s day: people were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but the day Lot left Sodom, God rained fire and brimstone from heaven and it destroyed them all. It w...
Nov 14, 2020•27 min
Fr. Eric Nicolai reflects at Kintore College. In the 1650s a Spanish priest from province of Navarre, Pedro Auxular, wrote a book in Basque titled Gero , which means Later . A book about the practice of the Christian life. The title is striking: later. He warned his reader of the danger of leaving for later the most important aspects of life. So we want to speak today of that Later, but in a different sense, not simply as later, but as the hereafter . Gero is really about the eschaton. The last ...
Nov 11, 2020•17 min
Fr. Luis de Moya passed away on November 9th, 2020 in Pamplona, Spain, as a result of complications due to an operation. He was in his late 60s. He was a numerary priest of Opus Dei, incarnated in the Prelature. He had studied medicine, then went to Rome to study theology and was ordained a priest. In 1990 after traffic accident in Madrid he ended up being a tetraplegic, and lived the rest of his life in Pamplona Spain. When he first woke up from the accident, he couldn't remember anything, and ...
Nov 10, 2020•29 min
A meditation preached on Saturday November 7, 2020 by Fr. Eric Nicolai in preparation for the feast of Christ the King. He reigns from his throne on the cross. Then he appears to the apostles after his resurrection as King: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Mt 28:18). Our Lord invites us to imitate Him in serving others. What kind of power? He wants us to have this new kind of power. The power nobody seems to be aware of, only those truly close to him, truly intimate w...
Nov 07, 2020•28 min
Luke 13, 31-32: 31 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.” He replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! Fr. John Lopez Agundez emphasizes them importance of the spiritual struggle in our life. Eph...
Nov 04, 2020•30 min
Book of Wisdom 3, 1-9 : "The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace." John Paul II said: In praying for the dead, the Church above all contemplates the mystery of the Resurrection of Christ, who obtains salvation and eternal life for us through his Cross.(TMA) To believe in the resurrectio...
Nov 03, 2020•29 min
Scientists have been sending signals into the cosmos, hoping for a response from some intelligent being on some lost planet. Yet even if inhabitants outside of the solar system existed, communication with them would be impossible, because between the question and the answer, millions of years would pass. Even if we could send a message that traveled a light speed. The Church has always maintained a dialogue with the inhabitants of another world -- the saints. Here, though, the answer is immediat...
Oct 31, 2020•28 min
Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches at Lyncroft centre about Luke 14, 1-6, where Jesus asked whether it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath. “Now on a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. There in front of him was a man with dropsy, and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees. ‘Is it against the law’ he asked ‘to cure a man on the sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent, so he took the man and cured him and sent him away ." By ...
Oct 30, 2020•27 min
Luke 13:10-13 : "One sabbath day Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright. When Jesus saw her he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity’ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God." Looking at this woman we can make our own the words she must have addressed to him: Straight...
Oct 27, 2020•27 min
Psalm 17 (18): 2-4, 47, 51: I love you, Lord, my strength. My rock, my fortress, my saviour. My God is the rock where I take refuge; my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold. The Lord is worthy of all praise, when I call I am saved from my foes. I love you, Lord, my strength. Long life to the Lord, my rock! Praised be the God who saves me, He has given great victories to his king and shown his love for his anointed. Today's psalm from the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A) invites us to experience...
Oct 25, 2020•31 min
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.
Oct 24, 2020•26 min
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
Oct 22, 2020•20 min
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.
Oct 20, 2020•20 min
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, from the opera Rinaldo, the aria Lacia ch'io pianga, played on guitar by Bert Alink.
Oct 18, 2020•28 min
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 have shown that the number one predictor of divorce is eye-rolling. Have you ever done that? This was...
Oct 13, 2020•31 min
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 Nicolai at Ernescliff college, Oct 11, 2020. More meditations: www.youtube.com/ericnicolai Music fr...
Oct 11, 2020•32 min
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. See other meditations at www.youtube.com/ericnicolai Music from Handel's opera, Rinaldo. The aria L...
Oct 10, 2020•24 min
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
Oct 01, 2020•32 min
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 meditations, go to www.youtube.com/ericnicolai
Oct 01, 2020•28 min
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. Michael would watch over celibate numeraries, St. Gabriel would be in charge of supernumeraries, and ...
Sep 29, 2020•32 min
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, gloominess and become more aware of God's presence in our day. Start with thanksgiving at the first mome...
Sep 27, 2020•31 min
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 occasions to feel our role to protect the vulnerable, and ourselves to feel protected by the Blessed Mot...
Sep 25, 2020•29 min
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 encounter – or renewed encounter – with God’s love, which blossoms into an enriching friendship, we are liberated ...
Sep 24, 2020•30 min
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). French forces under Napoleon battle Austrian troops led by József Alvinczi near Verona. The battle took...
Sep 22, 2020•29 min
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.
Sep 17, 2020•33 min
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 others around.
Sep 14, 2020•30 min
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.
Sep 11, 2020•27 min
