Gospel Reflection: A time to choose and a time to praise the Lord
Today is Laudate Sunday, which means we praise the Lord because we are halfway through our Lenten journey and getting closer to the great feast of Easter when we will be able to rejoice in the risen Lord who has come to save us. As the signs of spring appear we can rejoice that the signs of new life, lighter and warmer days will soon be with us, living in Lancaster we of course can't assume less rain! Spring is also a time when we can spring clean our homes and our souls.
Our Gospel reading today is from John. Jesus talking to Nicodemus offers us a message in which we can rejoice, namely, that God so loved the World (that means us all) that he sent his only Son Jesus, not to tell us off, but to save us. This is wonderful news, but the reading also reminds us we have a choice and sometimes that isn't always as easy. Jesus is the Light of the World, and yet sometimes we prefer or maybe find ourselves turning away from the Light because it highlights or reminds us of those times when we are not choosing to follow Jesus. Making a choice to do the right thing, for example, loving and serving our neighbours, being patient, accepting others irritating ways, is not easy. Yet we are invited to choose to believe in Jesus and try to live our lives by following his example. 
Jesus talking to Nicodemus
Lent is a time when we are able to reflect on our life and to take the opportunity to go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation to receive God's forgiveness for those times when we haven't always followed him. I am always comforted by the words of the Act of Contrition that I am not alone, and that by the help of God's grace, what I need to do is to try not to sin again.
So we have lots to praise and give thanks to the Lord for, but also a time to choose to have that spring clean not only of our homes but also our souls. AMH