Posts by The Very Rev. Canon Frank Alton

030820 Lent 2  John 3:1-17   The story of Nicodemus is one of the biblical stories that I most connect to at a personal level. As a religious professional, I approach holiness with a similar combination of strengths and weaknesses. The story is the Gospel lesson on the second Sunday of Lent every three years.…

030120 Lent 1  Genesis 2:4b-9, 15-17; 3:1-7; Matthew 4:1-11   Last Thursday evening about 130 people from the Echo Park community gathered at St. Paul’s Commons to address the crisis around the unhoused population occupying the park in increasing numbers. I was on a panel with a homeless man from the park, a resident from…

022620 Ash Wednesday  Joel 2: 1-2, 12-17; 2 Cor. 5: 20-6: 10; Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21   Don’t do your good deeds in front of people just for others to see them. When you help those in need, don’t post it to the four winds. When you fast, don’t make a sad face for people…

012620 Epiphany 3  I Cor. 10:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23   When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he knew that it was his turn now; the ball was in his court. And he knew that his mission to create a new unity around God’s inclusive love threatened the powers that be. If John could be…