fulness...

I had intended to post some John Gorham Palfrey today but was very much struck by this from James Freeman Clarke from his "Messages of Faith Hope and Love" (posted daily at Wonderful Epoch.)  To me, the Unitarian Universalist Message is all about "fulness."  We just aren't very good at expressing that sometimes...

"LET me call your attention to what seems to have especially impressed the early disciples, which they expressed by the word "fulness." John, in our text, says of Christ, " Of his fulness have we all received." Paul speaks of our " all coming to the stature of a perfect man, unto the measure of the fulness of Christ"; and in another place he says of Jesus " that it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." By this fulness they intend the rounded and entire union in Christ's teaching of that which had been before made separate. What men had put asunder he joined together. He united piety and morality,— love to God and love to man. Jesus, who spent whole nights in prayer, spent long days in doing good. You cannot say whether God or man were nearer to that large heart. In Jesus, mind and hand were equally in harmony. The profoundest thought went out at once to some practical application. He declared himself to be the Messiah, the Way, the Truth, and the Life; and yet he washed the feet of his disciples, talked on equal terms with publicans, Samaritans, and Romans, and had for his companions and friends humble fishermen and untaught country people."

Blessings
(painting of Jesus and the fishermen by Ernst Zimmermann)