We Will Run, We Will Rise

Last week I attended a private screening of the Boston Globe television documentary “5 Runners”, at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. The film profiles five 2013 Boston Marathon runners who were crossing the finish line when the first bomb exploded.

While their individual stories describe the impact of that event, the documentary focuses on what happened to them physically and emotionally in the many months that followed. After the film, there was a panel discussion with the filmmakers and one of the runners.

As I watched the film and listened to the personal stories move from grief and despair, to mental wrestling with fear and loss, and ultimately to overcoming physical and emotional trauma in order to run again, my heart soared with each individual triumph. Because ‘rise up’ is what our spirit compels us to do. With every daunting experience – our own or another’s – that gives evidence of one’s ability to overcome whatever the challenge, we all rise up a little bit higher. We all get closer to believing in the unquenchable spirit of eternal life.

This documentary is about life lessons, those moments of facing fears because you know you must. Deep in your very being, you know you can.

The coincidence this year of Easter Sunday leading into Marathon Monday is especially poignant to me. While sitting in the preview audience my thoughts rested on that world event of 2,000 years ago. Jesus alone, bearing the cross, struggling mightily with doubt, then being crucified, his followers shattered and scattered. But this is not what we cherish – rather it is the dawn of Easter day that we consecrate, the glorious resurrection, the joyful rising of Christ Jesus proclaiming the triumph of everlasting life over grief and death.

The life of Jesus – the unconditional love, the healing testimonies, the hatred overcome, the victory of spirit over matter! – shows the inseparability from his Father-Mother Love. Jesus’ life proves that the Divine embraces the human experience for each of us every step of the way.

This week, reflecting on the dedication of these five runners portrayed in the film, I thought how each one of us is on a singular journey – each one of us must face moments in life that call forth our divinely-bestowed courage, tenacity, perseverance, bravery and faith in order to accomplish something we never thought we could! We are all running a life-marathon and learning imperative and indispensable life lessons along the way. It’s how we overcome our feelings of loss, and our greatest doubts and fears. These are our personal resurrection moments…the relevance of Easter to each one of us.

In a letter to early Christians urging unrelenting devotion and faith regardless of challenges, St. Paul wrote, 

“…let us lay aside every weight, …and let us run with patience the race that is set before us…”

This coming Marathon Monday, let’s run with the families of the fallen, the recovering injured, the runners, and all of Boston and show how we have risen from the grief. What stands and remains is the healing balm of compassion, faith in good overcoming evil, and the victory of everlasting life.

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Virginia Harris is a practitioner and teacher of Christian Science spiritual healing with an office in Wellesley. She was on the faculty of Harvard Medical School’s symposium ‘Spirituality & Healing in Medicine’ and today is a public speaker to medical audiences. More from Ginny at www.VirginiaHarris.com.