The Branches
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing. (Jn 15:5)
January 21, 2025
Hello Everyone –
Who exactly am I in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ? Often that’s one of the nudging questions that pushes at the heart of anyone who seriously desires to possess some deeper understanding of the living God.
While providing a variety of I AM identifiers, St. John the Evangelist provides a personal favorite in the 15th chapter of the Gospel that bears his name. There we discover that we are branches — connected to a vine that gives us life. Much to our chagrin, we learn that we are not ends in ourselves, not self-sufficient. Rather we are connected — dependent. In other words, we NEED God
As I take up the profound privilege and challenge of serving as the 12th Archbishop of Milwaukee, I desire to focus our gaze on this relational aspect of being pursued by a relational God who sustains all things at every moment. So, here begins the weekly communique entitled: The Branches.
Realizing that you may not have had the opportunity to participate in the Solemn Evening Prayer on January 13, 2025, I am providing my remarks below:
I welcome this opportunity to offer a few words of greeting to you on the eve of being installed as the 12th Archbishop of Milwaukee. It is my privilege to be with you — to pray with you this evening — and I so look forward to being with you as the future unfolds. My remarks tonight are made through the hands of St. Hilary of Poitiers, if you will, since as a church we keep his memory this day.
“In the beginning was the Word – and the Word was with God and the Word was God. (Jn 1:1)
It is with these words that St. John the Evangelist begins the prologue to the Gospel that will follow. And it is these exact words that inspired St. Hilary and ultimately brought about his conversion and baptism in the year 350. These words moved Hilary’s heart to faith in the person of Jesus Christ.
It is an appropriate place, I believe, for us to begin on the eve before the installation of a new archbishop. The next chapter is about to be written. None of us know how or when it will end — how many pages will be necessary to capture what will occur. None of us has a crystal ball to see the future. But we are given this moment – a moment to ponder seriously who is that Word in our lives — living among us — guiding our hearts — shaping our decisions. For those who call themselves Christian, is Jesus Christ truly central in the living out of your life — of my life? Is he recognizable in what we do and say — in who we are?
Next, as you may know, this past Christmas Eve, Pope Francis initiated a Jubilee Year which will run throughout 2025. In the course of the decree that formulates the vision for this special time of grace, the Holy Father while calling on believers to be Pilgrims of Hope, noted that this year will coincide with the 1700th anniversary of the celebration of the first Ecumenical Council. The primary purpose of the council was to iron out issues, resolve conflicts, and bring clarity to unresolved questions. Remember, the year was 325 – and the Church was still quite young. In brief, that gathering in Nicaea was intended to ensure the unity of God’s people and the faithful proclamation of the Gospel.
And St. Hilary himself was among those who labored tirelessly to bring about clarity. The challenge before us in this next chapter is not unlike what the holy bishop faced whose memory we keep. We too are called to work for unity — to share our faith — and to respond to the urgent need for evangelization.
Finally, among his writings, St. Hilary left a prayer that calls for perseverance — and specifically, perseverance in what we believe. It is a conviction grounded in the Baptism we share — and it is a reminder to us of the unique relationship we have with the Triune God. As we move forward in the months and years ahead, may we possess the courage to persevere to the end in what we believe. Therefore, I leave you with St. Hilary’s prayer:
Father, keep us from vain strife of words.
Grant to us constant profession of Truth!
Preserve us in a true and undefiled faith
so that we may hold fast to that
which we professed when we were baptized
in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
that we may have You for our Father,
that we may abide in Your Son
and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
As I do for you, please pray for me,
Most Reverend Jeffrey S. Grob
Archbishop of Milwaukee
Subscribe to The Branches