It's the month of May, the month of Mary. Josemaria said: Our Opus Dei was born and grew up under the mantle of our Lady . She has been a good Mother, comforting us, smiling at us, helping us in the difficult moments of the blessed battle to bring forward this army of apostles in the world ". It is amazing to see that when she appeared on the hill of Tepeyac in Mexico in 1531 to Juan Diego. How can we increase our devotion this month? What can we do? Preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai in Kintore Colle...
May 07, 2022•26 min
Introductory meditation for a retreat at Kintore College, May 5, 2022. Starting with the passage of the woman caught in adultery (Jn 8), Fr. Eric Nicolai speaks about possibilites of entering into true prayer. Music: Handel, Opera Rinaldo, Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", arranged for guitar by Bert Alink Thumbnail: Rembrandt Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery 1644 National Gallery, London. For more meditations, check my channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EricNicolai/videos www.ernescliff.ca www....
May 06, 2022•26 min
John 21:1-14: Jesus showed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias. One senses in Peter’s return to fishing that he is invaded by discouragement. As though all had gone back to normal. No real sense yet of what the real meaning of the resurrection was. It had not sunk in. But they captured 153 fish. What does this mean? Preached at Lyncroft Centre, April 22, 2022. Music: Handel, Opera Rinaldo, Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", arranged for guitar by Bert Alink. Open source Thumbn...
Apr 28, 2022•26 min
This night’s Vigil is the greatest and most noble of all solemnities. Augustine said his wounds were the badges of his victory, the same wounds now decorate him, now embellish the beauty of his risen body. Faith in the truth of the resurrection of Christ can imbed itself in us so that we live always with a true, deeply-rooted supernatural vision. Preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai in Cedarcrest Conference centre in Belfountain, Ontario, during a High School Retreat. Music: Lobo de Mesquita Dominica in...
Apr 17, 2022•27 min
There are many places in the Bible that speak of the generosity of the people of God. In Exodus 36:1-7, we are told that Moses built the sanctuary of the temple sumptuous and grand. Mary of Bethany broke open the alabaster jar over Jesus' feet. Paul is amazed at the generosity of the Corinthians: "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." Preached at Lyncroft Centre, April 13, 2022 Music: Adoramus Te, composed by Théodore Dubois (183...
Apr 14, 2022•28 min
The ancient church took up the practice of the adoration of the cross. Then added the singing of the Reproaches (Improperia), an ancient and haunting chant that the Church does on Good Friday. "My people, What have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me!" (Popule meus, quid feci tibi? Aut in quo contristavi te? Responde mihi.) Fr. Eric Nicolai helps us to prepare to live Good Friday in this meditation on the Cross, preached at Ernescliff College, on April 10, 2022. Music: "Ave Verum C...
Apr 12, 2022•29 min
Numbers 21:4-9: Tells us about the Israelites left Mount Hor. They are in the wilderness and complain to Moses about their food, about their discomfort. God sends these fiery serpents and they are bitten. Moses intercedes for the people, but God asks him to fashion a bronze serpent and put it on a standard. Then a connection with the Gospel of John, 8, 21-30: They failed to understand that he was talking to them about the Father. So Jesus said: ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you w...
Apr 06, 2022•33 min
Jn 13:1: " Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end." These words of the apostle can rekindle in us a deeper love and awareness of what happened at the Last Supper. Fr. Eric Nicolai goes through the details of this central event: St. John narrates the washing of feet (vv. 4-11) and Jesus’ explanation of why he did it (vv. 12-17). It then mentions the denunciation of the betrayer (vv. 18-32) and ends with the teaching of the new commandment (vv. 33-35) and the predicti...
Apr 02, 2022•28 min
John 5, 18: "I tell you most solemnly, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees the Father doing..." Jesus was not merely a wise teacher. He was intertwined with God the Father and sent by the Holy Spirit. He says these encouraging words: If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Jn 8, 31) To be set free implies that one is already in a prison in some way, or that one is constrained, limited. A...
Mar 30, 2022•30 min
Today we celebrate the anniversary of the ordination of Saint Josemaria, which took place on March 28, 1925 in the chapel of San Carlos, a 17th-century baroque gem attached to the seminary of Zaragosa. Fr. Eric Nicolai recounts the history and invites us to examine our own readiness to do God's will. Preached at Kintore College, March 28, 2022. Music: Handel, Opera Rinaldo, Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", arranged for guitar by Bert Alink. For more meditations, check my channel: https://www.youtube....
Mar 28, 2022•30 min
Lk 1, 35: The Holy Spirit will come upon you…and the power of the most high will overshadow you… We are always overshadowed by God's presence, but also interconnected by among each other through grace. A meditation on how to live this interconnectedness, this communion of the saints. Preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai in Lyncroft centre, Toronto, March 20, 2022 Music: Handel, Opera Rinaldo, Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", arranged for guitar by Bert Alink For more meditations, check my channel: https://ww...
Mar 24, 2022•29 min
Today is the ninth anniversary of the inauguration of the pontificate of Pope Francis. There are a number of keys through which he has sought to serve the church: Among them we have fraternity, Divine Mercy, the custodianship of St. Joseph, and youth. Being a protector was truly all about very practical decisions. St. Joseph, said the Pope, is an extraordinary figure, not because of any astonishing charism or special status, but because he accomplished extraordinary acts of service in his daily ...
Mar 19, 2022•29 min
Gospel Lk 4: 1-13: Picture Jesus in the desert. The desert is an inhospitable place. Dry sand, rocky, the occasional shrub, and no water. Hot in the day, freezing at night. I too want to be resolute during this Lent, these 40 days. But with your help Lord, we can. Fr. Eric Nicolai reflects here on our temptations. Jaime Sanz Santcruz wrote an amazing book, Reilusionate. https://www.amazon.ca/Reilusiónate-Spanish-Jaime-Sanz-Santacruz-ebook/dp/B09H2RPFKW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=GIZFNDV8R3BN&keywords=R...
Mar 11, 2022•31 min
Psalm 50: "Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness. In your compassion blot out my offence. O wash me more and more from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. A pure heart create for me, O God, put a steadfast spirit within me ...a humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn..." In Latin: Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam... These are words on king David's lips after he sinned. He was confident that God would forgive him. In this meditation, Fr. Eric Nicolai invites to fill ou...
Mar 05, 2022•30 min
We began with the ashes on our forehead: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return" (cf.Gen 3:19). Pope Francis said: "The dust sprinkled on our heads brings us back to earth; it reminds us that we are dust and to dust we shall return." This is the itinerary we now embark upon: Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. All geared to inner conversion. Will this be the best lent of my life? The liturgical colour has changed to purple. This will set the tone. A meditation preached in Lyncroft centre in To...
Mar 02, 2022•28 min
Mark 10:17-27 The young rich man This passage was used by JP2 for the first inaugural WYD back in 1985 in his letter "Dilecti Amici". Pope John Paul II explained that Jesus met a number of young people, but this meeting of Jesus with the young rich man was the richest in character, in content. It has a universal and timeless character. How have I responded to this call? This is a meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Kintore College in Toronto, on February 28, 2022. Music: Handel, Opera Rin...
Mar 01, 2022•33 min
Matt 13, 44-46: The parable of the hidden treasure, and the fine pearl. If we found a great treasure, we would do everything possible to safeguard it. Our vocation is like that hidden treasure, but also like that pearl, it is unique to us, and we were allowed to find it. God has been working at it for years, just like a tiny pearl in its shell. Fr. Eric Nicolai describes the beauty of our life in Christ. Music:Handel, Opera Rinaldo, Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", arranged for guitar by Bert Alink T...
Feb 25, 2022•29 min
A meditation by Fr. Eric Nicolai in Kintore College, Toronto, on February 14, 2022, the anniversary of the founding of the womens' branch of Opus Dei (1930) and the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross (1943). How do they all fit together? Music: Handel, Opera Rinaldo, Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", arranged for guitar by Bert Alink. Photo of Saint Josemaria from 1967, from the Historical institute of St. Josemaria Escriva. https://www.isje.org/it/istituto-storico/
Feb 14, 2022•31 min
Meditation by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Kintore College: The dimensions of our apostolic task are outlined by two fishing scenes from the Sea of Tiberias, which offer a glimpse of the way Christians navigate through history. One is the Master’s forceful invitation to be daring – “Put out into the deep!” (Lk 5:4); and the other is the words of the Beloved Disciple, “It is the Lord!” (Jn 21:7), reflecting the attentive, perceptive faithfulness that enables us to recognise Jesus. Music: Handel, Opera Rin...
Feb 12, 2022•33 min
Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, recounted in Luke 2, 22-40. The aged Simeon said this child was "a light for revelation to the gentiles." Does Jesus really light up my life? Does this provide me with a unified narrative in everything I do? Music: Handel, Opera Rinaldo, Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", arranged for guitar by Bert Alink. "You Light Up My Life" written and composed by Joseph Brooks, and originally recorded by Kasey Cisyk for the soun...
Feb 03, 2022•28 min
Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches at Kintore College in Toronto on January 31, 2022. A scribe, perhaps dazzled by all these wonders, comes up to Him and says: Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go (Mt 8:19). We only know Jesus’ answer: Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head (Mt 8:20). What does this answer mean? Music: Claude Debussy, Clair De Lune L32, arranged for guitar by Angel Romero. Museopen.org Thumbnail: Mosaic of the exorcism of t...
Feb 01, 2022•32 min
Meditation by Fr. Eric Nicolai for the 4th Sunday of Ordinary time (Year C). The first reading is from the prophet Jeremiah, sometimes called the weeping prophet. It recounts the beautiful description of his vocation. Then St. Paul's letter to the Corinthians (Chapter 13) describes the gift of charity and how we can live it to the full. Music: Handel, Opera Rinaldo, Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", arranged for guitar by Bert Alink Thumbnail: Claude Monet, Camille assise sur la plage à Trouville sur ...
Jan 30, 2022•28 min
St. John tells us that Jesus assisted at a wedding as a guest. It took place at Cana. The Catechism says that the Church sees in it the confirmation of the goodness of marriage and the proclamation that thenceforth marriage will be an efficacious sign of Christ's presence. The wedding started with regular wine, but it ran out, and was left with water, and then came the really premium quality wine. It is an image of the love present natural marriage and in the Sacrament of Matrimony. A meditation...
Jan 24, 2022•31 min
Preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on January 16, 2022, at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto. Luke 18:10: The pharisee and tax collector in the temple… Egotism has a lot in common with parasites... When it settles in the soul, there is no medication that can definitively expel it. It comes back again and again. It reproduces itself constantly. It reappears at the worst times and it takes us a while to realize the immense damage it does to us. So how can we get rid of it? Music: Amazing Grace (Sublime Gracia)...
Jan 16, 2022•30 min
A meditation by Fr. Eric Nicolai, preached at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto, January 14, 2022. Mark 2:1-12: Today we have the friends of the paralytic. They were expecting a cure, they were not expecting that the Lord would forgive sins. If only God can forgive sin, it means that they all had a clear sense of the severity of sin. Music: Soledad, by Carlos Gardel, arranged for guitar by Bert Alink.
Jan 14, 2022•30 min
Pope Francis speaks frequently of the need to generate greater unity between the different generations. The parable of the prodigal son, his older brother and his father, related by Jesus, can help us to delve into this topic. (Lk 15) Preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Lyncroft Centre, Toronto on January 12, 2022. Much of the ideas were taken from a Spanish article by Diego Zalbidea, "Agradar a Dios (VI): hermanos que miran al Padre. Unidad entre generaciones distintas." https://opusdei.org/es/arti...
Jan 12, 2022•30 min
Preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai to a group of priests in Toronto at St. Aidan's parish. Joseph Ratzinger said: Only through the Son could we learn what a Father truly is. He is the only son of God. But through baptism he has made us adopted sons and daughters. But only through the Son can we learn this truth. And this is a truth we must seek to contemplate more and more. How? By reading, by forming our mind, our heart, our conscience, our vision, so that we see everything through this lens of fathe...
Jan 11, 2022•31 min
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Cedarcrest Conference Centre. The feast of the Baptism of the Lord, a dimension of Epiphany, closes the Christmas season and opens it outward into Ordinary time. Also the 120th birthday of Josemaria, born in 1902. Luke 3:15-16: A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people, who were beginning to think that John might be the Christ, so John declared before them all, ‘I baptise you with water, but someone is coming, someone who is more powerful tha...
Jan 09, 2022•32 min
We are all well aware that the figures that are always placed in the extremities of the nativity scene, far off, sometimes even forgotten, are the magi. Sometimes with their turbans and elaborate clothing, at times with their camels, always with their rich treasures for the child. But why is Joseph often absent in these early representations? Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches to Lyncroft centre on January 2, 2022 and gives us an answer. Thumbnail: fragments of sarcophagi displayed in the Pio Cristiano M...
Jan 02, 2022•29 min
John was a native of Bethsaida, a town of Galilee on the northern shore of the Sea of Tiberias. His parents were Zebedee and Salome, and his brother James the Greater. The words of John the Evangelist, whose feast we celebrate today, resound in our hearts: " Et Verbum caro factum est - the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 1: 14). Fr. Eric Nicolai preaches from Ernescliff College on why God became man. Music: Recordações do passado (Souvenirs from the Past) a Valsa for piano (1885) by Er...
Dec 28, 2021•21 min
