In Your Presence

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Ellentor centre in Toronto on the solemnity of the Ascension, May 17 2026.
This is a feast, but it is often under-celebrated. Even the iconography is odd. It shows the apostles standing in a circle, looking up, with Jesus out of the picture, as he floats up to heaven. You can only see his feet. It’s like the feast of the feet of Jesus.
Music: Audiio_MULVEY_Awakening_Awakening_Instrumental
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A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Kintore College, Toronto, on May 14, 2026.
John 19, 25-27:  Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. 
It is one of the most oft-represented scenes in art: Jesus on the cross, with Mary and John below, weeping, in pain.

It was right after the soldiers had divided his garments into four parts, one for each soldier, as though they were getting precious relics in that moment, but they were seeing these garments as pieces that they themselves might wear, or sell. He is saying to us now, before Pentecost: Behold your mother. Stay with Mary in the month of May so that you might truly be touched by the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is coming.

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Ernescliff College, Toronto, on May 10, 2026.
This is the month of Pentecost, and we can picture the scene as these flames of fire, these wisps over the head of each apostle. Remember the speech that Cardinal Bergoglio gave in the conclave back in 2013.
He spoke about the Church’s temptation to withdraw into self‑protection, regulations, and control rather than trusting the Holy Spirit. Pentecost, by contrast, breaks open that fear: the Spirit falls on them, they receive courage and understanding, and they are thrust out into the streets to preach Christ to all nations.
Music: MULVEY Awakening Awakening Instrumental

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation at Ernescliff College on May 10, 2026.
In 1932, Our Father wrote in his Intimate Notes, in a time of youth, a time with little experience, and uncertainty, and unsure of himself: Don’t speak: Listen to him.
This was his attitude to the Holy Spirit. This applies to us. Some people speak a lot, and figure things out as they speak. 
But how actively do we really listen? To others, to the HS, to our own conscience? Have I fallen to the brain fog, this dissipation, not aware that inside that cloud of unknowing, there is God, the Holy Spirit is pointing at something.
Music: Audiio MULVEY, Awakening Awakening Instrumental

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation on the anniversary of Pope Leo XIV's election, on May 8, 2026 at Ernescliff College, Toronto.
Today’s antiphon on the anniversary of the election of the Pope, takes on special resonance for us.
Matt 16, 16- 19: 6 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Christ, the one were expecting, the one we had hoped for, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
They are words that resonate with us, as we fortify our love for the Pope.
Music: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, with license.