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Neighbor News

Boston Brotherhood

Boston's community strength is in its brotherhood and sisterhood.

Boston marathon champion Meb Keflezighi photo by Elodie Reed

Growing up I was somewhat of a loner. Running changed that. In my first cross-country race, even though I finished in last place, I made some friends with teammates. Ten years later, Boston running teammates invited me to join “Team New Balance,” which was a group of elite runners competing in races across America. We trained and raced together in a bond of brotherhood for the Greater Boston Track Club.

Greg Meyer, the last American to win the Boston marathon before today, was a fellow teammate. Today, three decades later, American Meb Keflezighi won the 26 mile run from Hopkinton to Boston. Before the race Meb said, “This year, all 36,000 of us will run together to demonstrate the spirit of the marathon. We will still have our individual motivations, but we will be unified under the Boston Strong umbrella.”

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Meb is a 39 year old experienced runner, but was not expected to win. Younger African runners have dominated this race for decades. After today’s triumphant race, Meb said that he worked to win the marathon for God and for the people of Boston. And I’m confident that God and the people of Boston helped him to victory.

Today, Boston experienced a sense of brotherhood as a community, which was magnified with an exhilarating marathon for both the men and women. True brotherhood and sisterhood has its origin in the one God, a major theme of the Bible.

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Author Mary Baker Eddy, who built her first church in Boston, writes in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself;’ annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, — whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed.” (page 340)

Today’s successful marathon is one illustration of how the expression of brotherhood results in good.

The writer retired from professional training and racing in 1980 to devote his time and energy to the healing ministry of Christian Science. He currently is the media and legislative liaison for Christian Scientists in New Hampshire.

© 2014 Christian Science Committee on Publication for New Hampshire

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