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

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.

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.

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 preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on October 13, 2020.

Music composed by Handel from his opera Rinaldo, the Aira Lascia ch'io pianga, played on the guitar by Bert Alink.

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 from Handel's opera, Rinaldo. The aria is Lascia ch'io pianga, played on the guitar by Bert Alink.

The thumbnail: Paolo de Matteis, The  Annunciation (1712), in the Saint Louis Art Museum.

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.