Shows
The Discerning Leader PodcastReengaging the Passion | Holy Week Interlude, Episode 2 (REPRISE)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof This is a reprise of the Holy Week Interlude episode 2 which aired on April 6, 2023 “Death gives way to life. Not only lived out by Jesus but meant to be lived out by each of us.” – David Vryhof, SSJE Holy Week is considered the climax of the Christian year. The service that starts on Maundy Thursday continues all the way to the Easter Vigil and is the capstone of Holy Week. Steve Macchia and Brother David Vryhof return to the podcast to discuss how the liturgical worship of holy w...2024-03-2850 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastPreparing for Passion Week | Holy Week Interlude, Episode 1 (REPRISE)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof This is a reprise of the Holy Week Interlude episode 1 which aired on March 30, 2023. “We are offering ourselves in fresh new ways to God in Lent.” – David Vryhof, SSJE Holy week has the potential to invite us into intimacy sharing with Jesus not only his triumph and resurrection but his path of suffering. Commencing a two-week interlude, Steve Macchia and his spiritual director, Brother David Vryhof of the Society of St. John the Evangelist (Episcopal Monastic Community based in Cambridge, MA) explore ways that we can value and pa...2024-03-2148 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastReflection and Examen | Discerning God in the Spiritual Practices (Ep 05) (REPRISE)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof This is a reprise of season 2 episode 5 of The Discerning Leader Podcast. Reflection is an important spiritual discipline, inviting us to notice, remember, and give thanks. It is practiced in a variety of ways, from journaling to photography, and especially in the ancient practice of Examen. In reflection we are seeking the Spirit’s guidance to illuminate the path we’ve walked and attend to his presence and power every step of the way. As discerning leaders, it’s preferable to live a reflective life, noticing our feelings, actions, and att...2023-07-2030 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastListening Prayer | Discerning God in the Spiritual Practices (Ep 04) (REPRISE)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof This is a reprise of season 2 episode 4 of The Discerning Leader Podcast. Prayer is a huge, somewhat daunting subject. No one has mastered prayer. In fact, if we’re honest, we are all simply beginners. This episode explores the inward, upward, and outward nature of prayer, in both the “secret place” of our prayer closet, as well as in our public worship and community life. Prayer is a conversation between God and his children, with God as primary initiator, offering his love and inviting our love in return. Our posture...2023-07-1329 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastLectio Divina | Discerning God in the Spiritual Practices (Ep 03) (REPRISE)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof This is a reprise of season 2 episode 3 of The Discerning Leader Podcast. Instead of studying the Word to preach or teach it, Lectio Divina invites us to simply listen and receive the Word as a gift of love from God to us, his beloved children. Discerning leaders know the power of the Word and delight when the Scriptures come alive in our prayer closets. As a primary spiritual practice, lectio divina encourages us to feast on a slow and prayerfully meditative reading of God’s Word. In this episode we...2023-07-0627 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastSilence and Solitude | Discerning God in the Spiritual Practices Ep 02 (REPRISE)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof This is a reprise of season 2 episode 2 of The Discerning Leader Podcast. We live in an incredibly noisy world. Distractions abound, vying for our attention all throughout our days. Choosing a subversive, counter-cultural pursuit of exterior and interior silence is what separates a discerning leader from society’s norm. Silence and solitude is where we hear the whisper of God, enveloping us with love and affection. It’s the place where Jesus often was found, before the sun rose or late in the evening, discerning the loving voice of the F...2023-06-2922 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastRelationship with God | Discerning God in the Spiritual Practices Episode 01 (REPRISE)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof This is a reprise of season 2 episode 1 of The Discerning Leader Podcast. A discerning leader understands that service to others is based upon a relationship with God and thereby prioritizes the nurture of the soul. Commencing a new series, Steve Macchia and his spiritual director, Br. David Vryhof (www.ssje.org), explore the importance of spiritual practices as a foundation on which to deepen a life with God. Since we generally live unreflective lives, we need the space, the grace, and the rhythms to pursue on our pathway to gr...2023-06-2227 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastReengaging the Passion – Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday | Holy Week Interlude (Ep 02)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof “Death gives way to life. Not only lived out by Jesus but meant to be lived out by each of us.” – David Vryhof, SSJE Holy Week is considered the climax of the Christian year. The service that starts on Maundy Thursday continues all the way to the Easter Vigil and is the capstone of Holy Week. Steve Macchia and Brother David Vryhof return to the podcast to discuss how the liturgical worship of holy week very much engages our body with our mind and heart. During these days we recogn...2023-04-0649 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastPreparing for Passion Week – Palm Sunday and Prayerful Attentiveness | Holy Week Interlude (Ep 01)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof “We are offering ourselves in fresh new ways to God in Lent.” – David Vryhof, SSJE Holy week has the potential to invite us into intimacy sharing with Jesus not only his triumph and resurrection but his path of suffering. Commencing a two-week interlude, Steve Macchia and his spiritual director, Brother David Vryhof of the Society of St. John the Evangelist (Episcopal Monastic Community based in Cambridge, MA) explore ways that we can value and participate in the work of Christ during holy week. All of us are in pursuit of a d...2023-03-3047 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastJesus Discerns | The Discerning Leader Podcast: Rewind (Ep 03)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof “Most of us have a stained-glass image of Jesus and it’s hard for us to grasp his daily life as a beloved son of God.” –David Vryhof, SSJE This episode originally aired on 07/08/21 in Season 12 - Discerning God in Community (Episode 1). Brother David Vryhof of the Society of St. John the Evangelist (Episcopal Monastic Community based in Cambridge, MA) joins Steve in conversation about Jesus and his discernment at the beginning of his earthly ministry. They recount Jesus’ baptism, his 40-days of temptation in the wilderness, and his proclamation...2022-07-2139 min
The Discerning Leader PodcastGroup Discernment: How | Discerning God in Community (Ep 05)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof “We’re all trying to listen deeply to what God wants of us throughout the entire prayerful process.” – David Vryhof, SSJE Prior to group discernment, it’s important to follow guiding principles: does the group have a stated covenant? Do we all share a faith view of reality and willing to be led by God prayerfully? Are we willing to bathe the process in prayer, laying aside our preconceived ideas, have holy indifference and an openness to consider various opinions? Will we honor one another, listen well, contribute positively, pause freq...2021-08-0550 min
The Discerning Leader PodcastGroup Discernment: When and Why | Discerning God in Community (Ep 04)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof “Prayerful listening together is essential for us to know what we are to do and who we are to become in this season of life and ministry.” –David Vryhof, SSJE The Good Shepherd loves us and desires to lead us, for as we listen to God, we join him in his longings for us. But we need to be intentional about this pursuit of learning how to listen to God individually and collectively. From an attentive posture we then discern God’s affection for us as well as his intentio...2021-07-2944 min
The Discerning Leader PodcastIgnatian Discernment | Discerning God in Community (Ep 03)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof “God enters our lives in unusual ways, often in places where we are weakest and most vulnerable, where he delights to bring change to our lives.” —David Vryhof, SSJE The art of discernment takes time and experience, as we learn how to recognize the voice of God and discover the yearnings God has for us. Our culture is so dominated by the decisiveness of the business and commerce community. Instead, the church needs to lean more toward a discernment model for leadership. St. Ignatius of Loyola offers principles and practi...2021-07-2240 min
The Discerning Leader PodcastGod’s Yearnings | Discerning God in Community (Ep 02)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof “In order for us to hear the voice of God, it’s not about our ears, but much more about our hearts.” —David Vryhof, SSJE Instead of using the term “God’s will” David and Steve unpack a healthy alternative: God’s yearnings for us. God desires for us is to live with him, noticing his empowering presence, and trusting him to abide in us. Paying attention to God’s yearnings is a lifelong pursuit, marked by times of obvious lucidity when the way forward is clear. Other times, we are confronted...2021-07-1539 min
The Discerning Leader PodcastJesus Discerns | Discerning God in Community (Ep 01)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof “Most of us have a stained-glass image of Jesus and it’s hard for us to grasp his daily life as a beloved son of God.” David Vryhof, SSJE In this new series, Brother David Vryhof of the Society of St. John the Evangelist (Episcopal Monastic Community based in Cambridge, MA) joins Steve in conversation about Jesus and his discernment at the beginning of his earthly ministry. They recount Jesus’ baptism, his 40-days of temptation in the wilderness, and his proclamation of his mission and ministry in the synagogue. Each enc...2021-07-0837 min
The Discerning Leader PodcastReflection and Examen | Discerning God in the Spiritual Practices (Ep 05)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof Reflection is an important spiritual discipline, inviting us to notice, remember, and give thanks. It is practiced in a variety of ways, from journaling to photography, and especially in the ancient practice of Examen. In reflection we are seeking the Spirit’s guidance to illuminate the path we’ve walked and attend to his presence and power every step of the way. As discerning leaders, it’s preferable to live a reflective life, noticing our feelings, actions, and attitudes, and intentionally realigning our motivations, drives, and values toward God’s delightful prioriti...2020-07-0629 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastListening Prayer | Discerning God in the Spiritual Practices (Ep 04)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof Prayer is a huge, somewhat daunting subject. No one has mastered prayer. In fact, if we’re honest, we are all simply beginners. This episode explores the inward, upward, and outward nature of prayer, in both the “secret place” of our prayer closet, as well as in our public worship and community life. Prayer is a conversation between God and his children, with God as primary initiator, offering his love and inviting our love in return. Our posture is to be one of receptivity, openness, listening and noticing God’s loving voice of...2020-07-0629 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastLectio Divina | Discerning God in the Spiritual Practices (Ep 03)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof Instead of studying the Word to preach or teach it, Lectio Divina invites us to simply listen and receive the Word as a gift of love from God to us, his beloved children. Discerning leaders know the power of the Word and delight when the Scriptures come alive in our prayer closets. As a primary spiritual practice, lectio divina encourages us to feast on a slow and prayerfully meditative reading of God’s Word. In this episode we look at the six rhythms of lectio and behold how the Word comes al...2020-07-0627 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastSilence and Solitude | Discerning God in the Spiritual Practices (Ep 02)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof We live in an incredibly noisy world. Distractions abound, vying for our attention all throughout our days. Choosing a subversive, counter-cultural pursuit of exterior and interior silence is what separates a discerning leader from society’s norm. Silence and solitude is where we hear the whisper of God, enveloping us with love and affection. It’s the place where Jesus often was found, before the sun rose or late in the evening, discerning the loving voice of the Father. Finding our way to interior stillness is a great challenge but...2020-07-0622 minThe Discerning Leader PodcastRelationship with God | Discerning God in the Spiritual Practices (Ep 01)Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: David Vryhof A discerning leader understands that service to others is based upon a relationship with God and thereby prioritizes the nurture of the soul. Commencing a new series, Steve Macchia and his spiritual director, Br. David Vryhof (www.ssje.org), explore the importance of spiritual practices as a foundation on which to deepen a life with God. Since we generally live unreflective lives, we need the space, the grace, and the rhythms to pursue on our pathway to greater union with God. Spiritual practices are a means to the abundant life. It’s a...2020-07-0626 min