John Hancock & WBZ-CBS Boston

On what is traditionally known as Marathon Monday, we dedicate today's "Good News Bulletin" in special gratitude to our friends at Leadership Partner John Hancock and media partner WBZ | CBS Boston -- the Marathon's lead sponsors.

They invite us to dedicate today in appreciation of essential workers and encourage donations of any size in support of our neighbors across the state affected by COVID-19. You can learn more on WBZ-TV and My 38's daylong programming in support of the MA COVID-19 Relief Fund -- literally: "Good News"! The MA COVID-19 fund was co-founded by First Lady Lauren Baker and the One8 Foundation, with a mission to ensure care and support for our state's most vulnerable populations and the heroic essential workers on the front lines.

As we reflect with gratitude, we recall the beautiful words of President Obama, as he helped us heal from greatest heartbreak after the 2013 Marathon.

His words reflect the enduring spirit and extraordinary compassion that defines our city and Commonwealth -- then, now, and always.

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"You showed us, Boston, that in the face of evil, Americans will lift up what's good. In the face of cruelty, we will choose compassion. In the face of those who would visit death upon innocents, we will choose to save and to comfort and to heal.

We'll choose friendship. We'll choose love.

Because Scripture teaches us God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.

And that's what you've taught us, Boston. That's what you've reminded us, to push on, to persevere, to not grow weary, to not get faint even when it hurts.

Even when our heart aches, we summon the strength that maybe we didn't even know we had, and we carry on; we finish the race.

We finish the race, and we do that because of who we are, and we do that because we know that somewhere around the bend, a stranger has a cup of water. Around the bend, somebody's there to boost our spirits.

On that toughest mile, just when we think that we've hit a wall, someone will be there to cheer us on and pick us up if we fall. We know that.

Our faith in each other, our love for each other, our love for country, our common creed that cuts across whatever superficial differences there may be, that is our power.

That's our strength...We carry on. We race. We strive. We build and we work and we love and we raise our kids to do the same...

And we come together to celebrate life and to walk our cities and to cheer for our teams when the Sox, then Celtics, then Patriots or Bruins are champions again, to the chagrin of New York and Chicago fans.

The crowds will gather and watch a parade go down Boylston Street. And this time next year on the third Monday in April, the world will return to this great American city to run harder than ever and to cheer even louder for the 118th Boston Marathon.

Tomorrow the sun will rise over Boston. Tomorrow the sun will rise over this country that we love, this special place, this state of grace."