The first name
the Risen Lord
uttered
was her name.
Not the name
of an apostle
or a prophet,
or a wise man.
But the name
of a once-mad,
seven-times-mad,
woman from Magdala.
At the tomb,
the second womb,
a second Mary
was hailed.
And full of grace,
the Risen Lord
was with her,
His apostle to His apostles.
Originally published in the Christian Journal for Global Health.
Dr. Reena George, trained in radiation oncology and palliative medicine, received the Rotary Vocational Excellence Award for establishing the Palliative Care Unit in Vellore, India. She was the Chief Editor of the Indian Journal of Palliative Care and initiated palliative care training for deacons at the Papal Seminary in Pune in 2008. Her work includes publications in JAMA Oncology and Annals of Internal Medicine as well as the books One Step at a Time (Roli Books, 2018) and the forthcoming Vocations and Wayfinders: True Stories of Choices, Doubts, and Discernment.