In Your Presence

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation at Kintore College, Toronto, on March 25, 2026.
There is something there that we must learn about this gift of hearing in the annunciation. Paintings of the scene often show words that come forth from the angel’s mouth, floating through the air to Mary, while she is in a receptive position, the contrapposto, this bending of her body, as though the very words touched her. But paintings are silent. We don' t actually hear the words of the angel. What was Mary's disposition to these sounds?
Pope Benedict said: To see this active hearing, a hearing which attracts the Word in such a way that it enters in me and becomes Word in me, reflecting on it and accepting to the depths of the heart. Thus, the Word becomes incarnation. (Pope Benedict XVI, Q&A With Priests of Rome, 26 Feb 2009).
There is something for us here to learn about the art of listening.
Music: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Thumbnail: Columba altarpiece of the Annunciation by Roger Van der Weyden, 1455, Alte Pinakothek, Munich.

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Ashlar Centre in Toronto, on March 22, 2026.
In the year 2001 it was exciting because we were entering a new millennium. Pope John Paul II invited us to launch out into the deep, in Latin, Duc in altum (Apostolic letter, Novo millennio ineunte, 2001): He said: Duc in altum! These words ring out for us today, and they invite us to remember the past with gratitude, to live the present with enthusiasm and to look forward to the future with confidence: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever" (Heb 13:8).
This is tied to Jesus' call to Lazarus in the tomb: Lazarus, come out! Veni foras!
Music: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Thumbnail: The Jonah Sarcophagus, 300. Vatican museum.

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Ernescliff College, March 19, 2026.
There is a passage from Colossians that appeared in yesterday’s vespers to Saint Joseph. It applies to him, and to us. Colossians 3:23-24: "Whatever your work is, put your heart into it as if it were for the Lord and not for men, knowing that the Lord will repay you by making you his heirs. It is Christ the Lord that you are serving."
The response says: "The virtuous man will bloom like the lily."
As we woke up this morning, on our knees, we renewed our dedication, our yes. We want to bloom like the lily today. We call it renewing, but we might also call it refreshing, face our call with a fresh face, a luminous gaze, full of awareness of God’s presence. 1 Samuel 16: We have the stirring account of the call of David, his vocation, and his anointing by Samuel. David was the youngest; he was gone, he was not even in the list. He was not even on the list of nominees. "Jesse had him sent for, a boy of fresh complexion, with fine eyes and pleasant bearing."
Music: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Thumbnail: Bartolome Murillo, Saint Joseph with the child, 1670. John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Florida.

A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on March 12 at Kintore College, Toronto.
Today’s Gospel from Luke 11:14-23, tells us that Jesus was casting out a demon that was dumb; when the demon had gone out, the dumb man spoke and the people marvelled.
Those who opposed him said that he had done this through the power of Belzebul, through the devil. But Jesus easily responds that this would be the devil working against himself, divided against his own interests. Jesus heals because it is a sign of his power; he is able to heal in a way that no human power could. But he heals out of compassion, like when he healed the man born blind.
The sacraments are channels of his mercy, of his healing: like annointing, like confession, like the nourishing power of the eucharist.
Music: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Thumbnail: Stainedglass, Meung sur Loire 19th century.

Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation on March 8, 2026 in Ernescliff College, Toronto. It is similar to the previous day's meditation in Lyncroft centre, titled "Begone Satan!".
Conversion, like Jesus at the well, is first and foremost an initiative of God. We respond with our freedom. It’s in that most intimate part of ourselves, where the image of God deep within us, needs to be awoken, brought back to life, as though it had remained dormant but now is brought forth into the wild.
We have the freedom now to exercise penance through Lent in a way that leads to conversion, and to defeating the toxic presence of the evil one.
It’s what Jesus does in the desert (Matt 4), the Land of Mordor, this dark motif that sets the tone for all of Lent. A time of penance that purifies us, that awakens in us an interior struggle, that reminds us that we will never really convert if we just coast along, if we drift through life, if we just go with the current.
Music: Carlos Gardel, Soledad, arranged for guitar by Bert Alink.
Thumbnail: The Temptation Of Christ, by Duccio Di Buoninsegna, 1308, Frick Collection