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 Lascia ch'io pianga, played the guitar by Bert Alink.

Thumbnail painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859–1937), The Annunciation, at the Philadelphia Museum of art.

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

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

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 St. Raphael of young people.

Music: Handel, Lascia ch'io pianga (1711), guitar by Bert Alink.

For other meditations see www.youtube.com/ericnicolai

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 moment of the day when you wake up.

Music: Handel, Lascia ch'io pianga, guitar by Bert Alink.

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 Mother.

Music: Handel, Lascia ch'io pianga, classical guitar by Bert Alink.

Thumbnail painting by Piero della Francesca, Madonna della Misericordia, a detail from a Polyptych in the town of Sansepolcro, Tuscany. Dates to about 1460.

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 from our narrowness and self-absorption." (Evangelii Gaudium 8)

Music: Handel, Lascia ch'io pianga, played beautifully on the guitar by Bert Alink.

Thumbnail painting: Piero della Francesca, Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, circa 1465. Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence. He is seen presiding proudly over his lands in a double portrait with his wife the Duchesse Battista Sforza.

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 place 15–17 November 1796. 

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.

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.