At the bottom of some crucifixes you will find a skull. This skull serves as a reminder of Adam. It was through the sin of Adam that we were cast into sin and death, but it was from the cross of Christ that we came to be redeemed. We are told that the place where Christ was crucified is known as Golgotha which means the “Place of the Skull.” There are a few accounts to what this title may be referring to, but one them is that this was the place where Adam came to be buried. It was from the cross of Christ that we came to be redeemed from sin of Adam.
I find it interesting that the Lord’s Passion begins in a garden and finds its conclusion in a garden. So too does our salvation history begin in a garden. From the Book of Genesis we are instructed that on the sixth day: “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Nevertheless, despite the love of God which created them we are later told of the serpent who tempted Adam and Eve, who in return ate of the fruit of the tree, which they were forbidden to even touch.
It was on a Friday that humanity was created and so too on a Friday we came to be redeemed. The wood of a tree ushered sin into the world, but the wood of the cross brought about salvation. As we come forward to venerate this instrument of our salvation may we come to surrender ourself at the foot of the cross which brought about our liberation. Surrendering there all our fears, surrendering there all our sufferings, surrendering there all our sinfulness, surrendering there everything. From the Garden of Eden we were cast into sin, but from the cross we have been redeemed. Now we await for in a garden there is a tomb which will spring forth new life as we come to celebrate the Resurrection of our Blessed Lord.
