Patriots' Day bombings

In the aftermath of today’s bombings in Boston, universities and hospitals are on lockdown. Official steps have ranged from shutting down the city’s Logan International Airport to removing trash cans all around the city. As a lifelong resident of Greater Boston, I’ve for the first time had the feeling that my city is under siege.

Many runners never finished today’s Boston Marathon—held each year on Patriots’ Day, a holiday commemorating the battles of Lexington and Concord—and were left to fend for themselves along the marathon route, especially along Commonwealth Avenue. But others reportedly crossed the finish line and continued to run to nearby Massachusetts General Hospital to donate blood to help the victims.

The area where the bombs exploded is compact. Whoever set them off knew crowds would be in tight, making the most of the limited space. But the bombs have also brought people together psychologically, with tweets carrying the hashtag #prayforboston circulating throughout social media at hyper speed.

Memories of 9/11, with planes hijacked out of Logan, have reemerged today for me and others I know. Bostonians need the prayers of every Christian in America.