Fourth Sunday of Lent reflection

Death connected to gun violence and domestic violence exposes a national crisis that demands both policy action and moral clarity. On average 3,000 women die by gun in a domestic abuse situation ( Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence).When read alongside Jesus’ words, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” (John 9:39), the issue becomes more than a matter of legislation—it becomes a call to see what has long been hidden and to confront the systems that have failed to protect the vulnerable.

Death linked to gun violence and domestic violence reflects a deeply interconnected public safety crisis. Both issues stem from patterns of power, control, and easy access to lethal weapons, and together they create conditions where moments of conflict can turn fatal.
When firearms are present in a home marked by intimidation or abuse, the risk of a deadly outcome rises sharply. Gun violence affects families, neighborhoods, and entire communities.

I saw the impact of gun violence on a woman survivor of domestic abuse at my previous work while at Wichita Women’s Initiative Network. Sandy, pregnant with her fourth child, stood in front of her children while protecting them from their father waving a 9mm automatic framed pistol.

He aimed and shot, she fell limp out of fright not hit by a bullet. The police were on the scene, arrested and jailed him. Sandy and the children were safe but she miscarried her baby.

Yes, Sandy had a restraining order. No, it was not enforced.

Domestic violence often occurs out of public view, where victims face intimidation, coercion, and escalating danger. When a firearm is present, the risk of death increases dramatically. One way to correlate the Gospel reading in the context of both domestic and gun violence is:

• The “blind who will see” can represent survivors whose experiences have long been overlooked. For example, the book, Killing Kate by Kate Rant, is a shocking account of her domestic abuse experience which almost caused her death. National policy must strengthen protective orders, improve firearm relinquishment, and expand survivor services so as to bring their needs into public awareness.
• Those “who see but become blind” can symbolize systems or attitudes that assume current protections are sufficient. When gaps in background checks, inconsistent enforcement, or limited support services leave people unsafe, the verse challenges policymakers to recognize where confidence has replaced.

Domestic violence often unfolds behind closed doors where I ‘become blind’ to the situation of my neighbor.

May Lent 2026 give us grace to live as children of the Light.