Boston Marathon

For Boston, Monday was supposed to be a day of celebration. The much heralded Boston Marathon attracted thousands of runners and spectators.

For participants, the day is the result of months of preparation and training. It's also commonly referred to as Patriots Day. But the terror that unfolded was anything but patriotic.

As the runners made their way through the streets of Boston, two bombs were detonated in an act of terrorism.

As of Tuesday, three were dead and more than 170 injured -- many losing limbs.

There's little to say after something like this. Simply stated: This was pure evil.

As Americans, we celebrate special events like the Boston Marathon. And for this faceless enemy -- whether domestic or foreign -- to plan such destructive action is despicable.

The investigation continues, but for many families it's now a time of mourning.

This act of evil -- like far too many others we've witnessed -- is maddening. But like other events, there were heroes who helped in the aftermath, many rushing to help without knowing if there would be more explosions.

After news broke of the bombings, many shared concern about their families and friends at the marathon. Several local folks were participating, and we're thankful to report these individuals were safe.

To all those affected, we offer our prayers.

As the psalmist wrote: "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." (Psalm 9:9)