The Skull

A hill outside of Jerusalem.  When we visited the Holy Land I was naïve enough to think that the hill where Jesus was crucified would look something like this.  I was disappointed to find that Golgotha, the place of the Skull, is now engulfed by the city of Jerusalem and by church buildings.  (The name Calvary comes from the Latin word for skull.  Golgotha is a Greek transliteration of the Aramaic word for skull.)
I used Luke's account of the Crucifixion for Scripture reflection today (23:33-46).  It has a much more peaceful air about it than the accounts in Mark and Matthew. Luke emphasizes God's faithful love for Jesus, the Innocent One who suffers for others and who to his dying breath extends the same faithful love to sinners.
Luke's telling of the event is more succinct.  He omits some of the more violent elements, just as during his Gospel he omits many negative things.  The most noticeable omission is the cry of Jesus "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me" that is in Mark and Matthew.
In Luke the last words of Jesus are from Psalm 31, "Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit."  They express a calm acceptance of God's will and a firm confidence in the Father's constant love.
On Calvary Jesus continues the forgiving ways that Luke also stresses in other parts of his Gospel.  As they crucify him he prays, "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing."
When one of the criminals crucified beside him begs "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom," Jesus replies, "In truth I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."  He not only comforts the other but expresses his confidence that he himself will be paradise, a garden glowing with the peace and harmony of Love that never runs out.