Midweek meditation from Pastor Dave August 29, 2024

This past weekend, we dropped off our younger son Wesley for his first year of college at Columbia University in New York City. While we were on campus, we browsed the university bookstore. My eyes caught a sweatshirt with the Columbia logo and a Latin inscription underneath: “In Lumine Tuo Videbimus Lumen.” I had three years of Latin in high school with teacher Mr. May, but that was over thirty years ago. But instead of going immediately to Google, I wanted to see if I could piece it together myself.

“Lumine” means light (as in “illumination”).

“Tuo” means “your.”

“Videbimus” is somehow related to the verb “to see” (as in “video”).

Aha! “In your light we see light.” Google confirmed the translation was correct. Mr. May would be so proud!

Then I realized that phrase sounds familiar. Google also confirmed that it is a quotation from scripture, from Psalm 36:9: “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” These words are an ancient affirmation that God is the source of all light and life and that it is God’s light that enlightens us.

Columbia was founded in 1754 during the historical period called the Enlightenment. It was the age of influential philosophers like David Hume and John Locke. It was a time marked by a greater reliance upon human reason than on divine revelation. But the first president of Columbia, back when it was called King’s College, was an Anglican minister, the Rev. Samuel Johnson. He designed the seal that included this Latin inscription that reminds us that it is ultimately God’s light that enlightens our own education and enlightenment.

Columbia is not a religiously affiliated university, although there are students from all kinds of religious backgrounds and there are many different religious organizations on campus. But at the opening convocation, as the interim university president Katrina Armstrong and other administrators described the educational culture to us all before we had to say goodbye to our offspring, they encouraged the students not to be afraid to ask questions, to seek the truth even if the answers are not what they expected, to learn with and from one another, and to remember that they are never alone, as they are all engaged in the enterprise of education together.

As they were talking about what the college experience can be, I couldn’t help but think this is also what the church experience can be—a place to ask our questions, to seek the truth, to learn from each other, and to remember that we are never alone as we live and grow together in the light of the life of the one who is the light of the world and whose light enlightens everyone (John 8:12, 1:9). It is in his light that we see light.