Apr 21, 2013: The day before the Boston Marathon, a Christian, a Muslim, and a Sikh came together to discuss violence at the Fatima Shrine in Holliston at a special event co-sponsored by the Xaverian Missionaries and Pax Christi Metrowest. Perhaps, had the perpetrators of such needless violence at the Marathon been in the audience, they might have thought twice before planting bombs.
Moderated by Xaverian Father Rocco Puopolo, the panel consisted of Shaheen Akhtar of the Islamic Center of Boston, Svea Fraser, of St. John the Evangelist in Wellesley, and Sarbjit Singh Thiara of the New England Sikh Study Circle in Milford.
In the end, the inter-religious dialogue approached violence the same way. While faith and prayer put things in perspective, community holds us together while the richness of our traditions and experiences guide us from a shared past to a preferred future. Indeed, had the individuals responsible for so much pain and anguish at the Marathon listened closely they might have been moved by prophetic voices from each of these traditions.
For Sikhs, who trace their teachings as far back as the 16th century from Guru Nanak, "No one is my enemy. No one is a foreigner. With all I am at peace."
For Muslims, the Arabic word "salaam" or "peace" has the same root as the word Islam. Indeed Muhammad is reported to have said, "Not one of you believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."
Muslim scholars are generally agreed that the word ‘brother’ means any person irrespective of faith. Christians, of course, agree that Jesus taught and lived pacifism while calling for a life of non-violence. For these and all the other great faiths, violence is the option only after the last option.
Terrorists, whether foreign born or home-gown, miss the point. They believe that acts of violence scar the spirit. Yet, the opposite is true. Nazis believed they could bomb the English into submission. In fact, what they did was spark a determination to resist and to overcome. You can kill or wound a body, but you can never kill a spirit.
When strangers ask people who live in cities and towns all over Massachusetts, "Where are you from?" they most often hear, "I’m from Boston." That’s because Boston is more than a city, more than a place on a map, even more than a physical location. Boston is a state of mind! Boston, for all its goodness as much as for its imperfections, connects us all. It’s why people far and near wear caps emblazoned with the letter "B". They are as much a part of us as we are of them.
That anybody would think that Boston, of all places, would be intimidated by a couple of puny bombs is laughable. Sure, we grieve for the dead. We reach out to the injured, but we move forward.
After the attack on 9/11, one unexpected response that surprised those who wish us harm occurred when millions and millions of Americans instinctively displayed flags outside their homes as a sign of pride and righteous indignation. It’s not a high risk bet to predict that next year’s Marathon will attract more runners and an even larger crowd.
You have to wonder what gets into sick minds that makes them think that attacking an international event like the Boston Marathon would do anything less than strengthen the resolve of good people everywhere to find the perpetrators of such evil and bring them to justice.
It is gratifying and somewhat humbling to see people from all over the country and even from all over the world making symbolic gestures in support of our Boston. Yet, as we heal together, we can also take pride in the relentless determination of federal, state, and local law enforcement to track these cowardly perpetrators down. It may serve as a lesson to evildoers. Think twice before attempting to strike Boston.
Frank Mazzaglia can be reached at [email protected]