In Your Presence

Eric Nicolai

Meditations by Fr. Eric Nicolai, a Catholic priest of Opus Dei in Ernescliff College, Toronto. They are times of prayer addressed to men or women, with the intention of providing a personal dialogue with the Lord Jesus Christ present in their midst. They are usually preached in oratories of Opus Dei.

Play

Open in

25 episodes
Avg 28 min
English

Episodes 25

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Yesterday · 29 min
The Conversion of the Prodigal Son, and ours
Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation on August 17, 2026 at Parkhill Centre in Ottawa. Prayer in our life is an essential part of our existence of sons of God. It gives our resilience, and our purpose going. It is like the engine room of our interior life. In the Gospel, we have the Pharisees complaining about the company that Jesus kept. This prompted Jesus to reaffirm the truth of God’s mercy through the most iconic parables of the Gospel: The conversion of the prodigal son. Music: 'Undertow' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com Thumbnail: Rembrandt, The Conversion of the Prodigal Son, 1661.
Wednesday · 27 min
Hypocrites: Clean the Inside of the Cup
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Camp Caribou near Barry's Bay, Ontario, on August 25th, 2026. Today, the Gospel speaks about the distaste that Jesus had for those who relied on appearances, on image, on looking good to others. Those who spent time cultivating a public image. It is a rather blistering accusation. Matt 23, 24-26: Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who clean the outside of cup and dish and leave the inside full of extortion and intemperance. Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside of cup and dish first so that the outside may become clean as well.’ Music: Regi Stone, All Heavens Declare. Thumbnail: Rembrandt, Jesus preaching. Etching, Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
Monday · 25 min
I will Shed my Skin for you Lord: Feast of St. Bartholomew
A meditation on the feast of St. Bartholomew, preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Ernescliff College on August 24, 2026. He preached in India and Armenia. For Bartholomew: “he shed his skin”: both in martyrdom and spiritual transformation, putting off the “old self” so that the new person may emerge. Thumbnail: detail from Michelangelo's Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel, 1536. Marco d’Agrate’s statue in Milan Cathedral, known as the San Bartolomeo scorticato: https://mainlymuseums.com/post/1174/the-anti-david-st-bartholomew-by-marco-dadrate-1562/ Music: Lifting Dreams - Aakash Gandhi Youtube free
August 20 · 30 min
A 1930 Letter from Saint Josemaria about Holiness
In 1975, Pope Paul VI told Blessed Alvaro del Portillo: "Collect everything that the Founder has written, because it is already a treasure belonging to the whole Church.”
August 19 · 29 min
Mary our Protector: Eve of the Assumption
Maximilian Kolbe had a vision of our Lady who offered him two crowns: a white one for virginity, a red one for martyrdom. Which do you want? I’ll take both. that Mary is and a sign of hope and comfort for your people on their pilgrim way.  (Assumption preface) Thumbnail: Esteban Márquez de Velasco (1652–1696) , Dormition of the virgin Mary, Art Gallery of Ontario.
August 6 · 28 min
The DNA of the Life Faith
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on August 1, 2026 at Ellentor Centre in Toronto. Matt 14, 22-36: Jesus walks on the water, and calls out to Peter: Come! Water in the ancient world was always seen as a place of instability. It was a scary place when you had these rickety boats. But Jesus informs everything we do. It is our life of faith. Our faith must inform our vision, the way we think, the way we work. It leaves its fingerprints everywhere we go. There you will find the DNA of faith. Music: pulsebox-piano-music-free-music-552725 pixabay free Thumbnail: Walking on Water, by Ivan Aivazovsky (1888), private collection.
August 2 · 28 min
The Feeding of the 5 Thousand
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on August 1, 2026 at Ellentor Centre in Toronto. John 6:1-15 tells of the account of the feeding of the 5 thousand. Lots of people. A real problem. A multitude had followed him. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him He looked up with mercy, with compassion. In front of the problem, the numbers, the money, the few pieces of bread, we hear about that little boy. 10 or 12 years old. Not with his parents. Free to help. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, John 6, 9-10: “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
July 31 · 32 min
Optimism and Smiling Faces
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Ellentor Centre in Toronto, July 31, 2026. "Don't forget that sometimes it is necessary to have smiling faces." (The Way, 657)
July 22 · 18 min
The Penitent Magdalene
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Chipnee camp in Port Burwell, Ontario, July 22 2026. Mary Magdalene is the first person to whom the risen Christ appeared and he entrusted her with announcing the Resurrection to the Apostles themselves. She is the apostles of Apostles. Pope Francis elevated her memorial to the level of a feast. Music: pulsebox-piano-music-cinematic-552722 Thumbnail: Antonio Canova, Penitent Magdalene 1808, St. Petersburg Museum.
July 21 · 24 min
The Courage of a Full Life
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Chipnee Camp in Port Burwell, Ontario, on July 21, 2026. We reflect on the famous story of the young rich man who approaches Jesus to ask him something.(Mt 19:16–22; Mk 10:17–22; Lk 18:18–23) It’s a key text, one of the most memorable encounters that Jesus had. It is full of youthful horizons, yet mystery and a bitter dissolution too. What does it mean to live a full life? Music: pulsebox-piano-music-cinematic-552722 Audiio_MULVEY_Awakening_Awakening_Instrumental Thumbnail: Crucifixion from France, 12th century, St. Louis Art Museum.
July 20 · 23 min
Forging Bonds of Frienship
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Chipnee Girls Camp in Port Burwell, Ontario. The disciples of Emmaus shared an intense run home after having seen and heard the Lord. When we are together, we cease to be fragile.
July 15 · 26 min
Martha and Mary: The Present and Future Life
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Ernescliff College, Toronto, on July 14, 2026. Sitting in front of the Saint Lawrence River, seeing all that water pass by, sometimes calm, other times more agitated. All that water is going to a hydroelectric dam, where it will go through turbines to generate much energy. That daily flow looks peaceful, even tranquil, yet carries with it great energy. All our activities in our life, our work, our stress- they are like that river, flowing, but they must all go through turbines to serve as sources of good supernatural energy. It is an image of what we see in the account of Martha and Mary, in Luke. Music: pulsebox-piano-music-cinematic-552722 Thumbnail: Hydroelectric Power Dam
July 11 · 30 min
Workers in the Vineyard
A meditation by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Ellerton Center in Toronto, preached on July 4th, 2026. Mt 20:1-16: Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. From that early moment, he went out many times after. 9 a.m., He went out again about noon and about three p.m. Then again about five p.m. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ Even at the end of our life, God calls us. Thumbnail: Jean-François Millet, les Glaneuses, Musée d’Orsay 1857 Music: pulsebox-piano-music-cinematic-552722
July 8 · 26 min
First, Simon who is called Peter
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on July 8th, 2026, at Kintore College, Toronto. Today’s Gospel gives us a glimpse of that luminous moment in which Jesus entrusts his apostles with the most important responsibility of their lives. Nobody has ever been entrusted with a mission as important as this, with such decisive consequences for world history. The account of Jesus' choice of his 12 apostles from Matt 10, 1-7: "Jesus summoned his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who was to betray him." Thumbnail: Massacio (Tommaso di Ser Giovanni di Simone), "Peter Healing the sick with his shadow", Florence, Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence, 1424-1425. Music: pulsebox piano music-cinematic-552722
July 6 · 30 min
Woman with the Issue of Blood
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Ernescliff College, Toronto, on July 6, 2026. From today's gospel, Matthew 9, 18-26: "...Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again." The 12 years of hemorrhage was humiliating; it weakened her, and it depleted her resources. But she reached out, discreetly, with a humble faith, just to touch the very fringe of his garment. As though she wanted to go unnoticed. It was a humble faith. It must be present in our initiatives as well. It will be rewarded, but we have to stay humble. Thumbnail: Fresco of the Healing of the woman with the issue of Blood, in the Catacomb of Sts Marcellinus and Peter, Rome, 4th century. Music: pulsebox-piano-music-cinematic-552722
July 4 · 29 min
If You don't lose your Life, You're Not Worthy of Me
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai on June 28, 2026 at Ellerton Centre, Toronto. Matthew 10:37-42: Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.
July 2 · 28 min
Jesus has power over the Demoniac and over us
A meditation preached by Fr. Eric Nicolai at Kintore College in Toronto, on July 1, 2026. (new audio file with proper editing uploaded July 2) An account of the two demoniacs of the Gerasenes in Matthew 8:28–34. Jesus intervened and restored them to normality, but it meant that the herd of pigs was lost. Jesus has restored something authentic in this place, but the villagers are too desensitized to see it, to perceive it. This is really about the authority of Jesus on this earth, in our work, in our day-to-day. He must really be there. Yes, he can expel the demons of indifference. Of lukewarm norms, of lack of care in fraternity. Thumbnail: The Gerasene Demoniac by Sebastian Bourdon (1653) Music: pulsebox-piano-music-cinematic-552722 no copyrigh t
July 1 · 29 min
Josemaria Saw a Vast Fertile Field
A meditation preached on June 24, 2026 at Hawthorn School for Girls on the solemnity of John the Baptist. From the very womb of his elderly mother, John was inundated by the Holy Spirit so as to prepare the manifestation of Jesus to the people. He grew and lived in the desert. He was preparing himself for his mission through solitude and prayer. Isaiah 40, 1-5: A voice of one crying in the desert. Prepare the way for the Lord. All the prophets before him anticipated the Messiah; John actually points Him out directly (“Behold the Lamb of God”) That can sometimes be your life, a voice crying out in the desert of secularism, immoral conduct, ideologies that go against nature, and the dignity of man. It ends up with strange fabrications, rejection of God, and distortion of the faith. As Saint Josemaria said: “We certainly need to convert anew, to be more fully loyal and more deeply humble, so that our selfishness decreases and Christ can grow in us. For illum oportet crescere, me autem minui, “he must increase and I must decrease.” (Christ is Passing By, no. 58)
June 28 · 28 min
Saint Josemaria's Legacy
A meditation preached at Ellentor centre in Toronto, on the feast of Saint Josemaria, on June 26, 2026. It’s the legacy that we have the responsibility to maintain, to care for. We know sound elements of doctrine, but it comes out in unique ways in our apostolate, in our family prayer, our interest in others. What is the origin of this legacy? Music: pulsebox-piano-music-cinematic-552722 Free copyright on Pixabay.
June 26 · 25 min
Our Divine Filiation is a Solid Foundation
A meditation preached at Kintore College, Toronto, on June 25, 2026. Matt 7, 21-29: ‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.’ A building may appear beautiful and impressive, yet if its foundations are weak, sooner or later cracks will begin to show. The same is true of our spiritual lives. Much of what sustains us remains hidden from view: our prayer, our relationship with God, and especially our sense of divine filiation. Music: Carlos Gardel, Soledad, arranged for guitar by Bert Alink.

Showing 1–20 of 25 episodes