On Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of Revelation (22:1-9) entitled "The river of life-giving water". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Blessed Issac of Stella, abbot.

Blessed Isaac of Stella, born around 1100 A.D., was a monk, theologian, and philosopher. Blessed Isaac entered the Cistercian Monastery of Citeaux, near Dijon, France, in the early years of the Cistercian order. A contemporary of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Isaac became abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Stella where he was renowned for his holiness and the teachings he gave his monks to help them advance in the spiritual life.

Blessed Isaac is best known for his deeply reflective sermons that unite theology with spiritual life, especially his teaching on the unity between Christ and the Church. He emphasized that the whole Christ (Christus totus) includes both Jesus the Head and the Church as His Body, helping believers understand their real participation in Christ's life. His contributions to Catholic teaching lie in this rich, contemplative vision of the Church, the Incarnation, and the spiritual life—showing that Christians are not just followers of Christ, but are truly united with Him and called to grow into that union through grace.

Our treasure today is from Blessed Isaac's sermon "Firstborn of Many Brothers", in which he teaches that Christ, by becoming man and rising from the dead, makes believers His true brothers and sisters by grace. As the "firstborn," Jesus is the head of a new human family, and those who share in His life through faith and the sacraments are adopted into that family. The sermon emphasizes that Christians are not merely followers of Christ, but are united to Him, called to reflect His life, and to grow into the fullness of that relationship as members of His Body.

Our first reading from Revelation (22:1–9) teaches us that eternal life with God is a restored, life-giving communion in His presence, bringing complete healing, fulfillment, and unending worship.

The vision of the river of the water of life and the tree of life recalls the Garden of Eden, showing that God's original plan for humanity is now fully restored and perfected. Everything that was lost through sin is renewed—there is no more curse, only life, fruitfulness, and healing for all who belong to God.

At the center of this renewed existence is direct communion with God and with Jesus Christ. His servants "will see His face," meaning there is no longer any separation; they live continually in His presence, marked as His own and sharing in His light. This signifies the deepest fulfillment of human longing—perfect union with God.

The passage also emphasizes right worship and humility. When John attempts to worship the angel, he is corrected and told to worship God alone, reinforcing that all glory belongs to God, even amid the splendor of heavenly realities.