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 Toronto, by Fr. Eric Nicolai.

Music: A. Vivaldi, Nisi Dominus, RV 608 - IV. Cum dederit.

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 Rinaldo, Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", arranged for guitar by Bert Alink .

Thumbnail: Hans Memling, Portrait of a Young Man, ca. 1472–75 Metropolitan Museum of Art.

https://www.youtube.com/c/EricNicolai/videos

www.ernescliff.ca

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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 

Thumbnail: Base of the Medieval Chalice of Abbot Suger (1081 – 1151). Now in the National Gallery in Washington DC.

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/

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 Rinaldo, Aria "Lascia ch'io pianga", arranged for guitar by Bert Alink.

Thumbnail: KB den Haag 76 F 5, St. Bertin Bible abbey (France), c. 1190-1200.

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 soundtrack album to the 1977 film of the same title. It won best song in the 1978 Oscars.

Thumbnail: parchment originates from East Anglia, dated to 1310, in the National Library of Wales (Wiki Commons).

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 the Gerasene demoniac from the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Rome, dating to the 6th century (Wiki Commons)

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 Mer, 1870.

For more meditations, check my channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/EricNicolai/videos

www.ernescliff.ca

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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 preached at Kintore College by Fr. Eric Nicolai on January 22, 2022.

Music: J.S. Bach, "Komm, süsser Tod", BWV 478 - Guitar Transcription by Bert Alink.

Thumbnail: Paolo Veronese, Wedding Feast at Cana (1563) Louvre. Wikimedia Commons.

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) - Violin- Ayako Ishikawa, Internet music archive.

Thumbnail: Gustave Doré (1832-1883) from his "La Grande Bible de Tours", first issued in 1866: Pharisee and publican.