In Your Presence

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.

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.

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

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

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