VOICE OF THE LOGOS (5): REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR I

There is a stark contrast between God’s promises and human expectations. Humanity desires immediate results, visible prosperity, and effortless success, while God often works through process, discipline, and transformation. This disconnect has led to frustration, misplaced faith, and disillusionment, not just on a personal level but on a national scale. In Nigeria, where religious and political rhetoric is often laced with grand declarations of divine favour, there is an expectation that breakthroughs should happen instantly, that suffering should not be part of the journey, and that God’s blessings must always be visible and material. Yet, Scripture shows that God’s covenants are not magic formulas for success but calls to faithfulness, endurance, and divine timing. The real question is: Are Nigerians seeing God’s promises clearly, or are they like Peter – recognizing Christ yet rejecting the full picture of His mission?

This struggle is not unique to Nigeria. The Jewish people often misunderstood God’s covenants because they focused on the benefits rather than the responsibilities. The Hebrew term בְּרִית (berit), meaning “covenant,” was central to Jewish identity, yet many Israelites failed to see that covenant required not just divine blessing but human obedience and trust. They expected a victorious Messiah, immediate national restoration, and an earthly kingdom, but God’s plan was far greater, requiring faith and perseverance over generations. They saw the covenant, but not clearly.

This theme is strongly present in the First Reading (Genesis 9:1-13), where God establishes a covenant with Noah after the flood. This was a moment of divine assurance, where God set the rainbow as a sign of His faithfulness. However, this covenant did not mean an end to human struggle. The flood had wiped out evil, but it had not changed human nature. The expectation might have been that the world after the flood would be free of sin, but humanity continued to struggle with corruption, as seen later in Noah’s own descendants. This is the same illusion that persists in Nigeria, where people assume that divine promises should automatically lead to national prosperity, peace, and change, yet the reality of corruption and instability remains.

The rainbow did not signal an instant utopia but a call to trust in God’s mercy; just as Nigeria’s numerous prophetic declarations do not guarantee automatic success but require national accountability, moral conversion, and divine process. Nigerians see the promise of a better country, but do they see it clearly? Or are they like those who believe in God’s covenant yet fail to live up to its demands?

This same tension appears in Psalm 102, where the psalmist acknowledges God’s eternal faithfulness despite ongoing suffering. The psalm says, “From heaven, the Lord looks down on the earth.” (Psalm 102:19), an assurance that God sees the pain and struggles of His people. However, just like in Noah’s time, God’s remembrance does not mean instant relief but a process of divine intervention in His time and manner. Many Nigerians cling to the belief that God will intervene in the nation’s problems, yet refuse to acknowledge that God’s intervention often requires human responsibility, discipline, and endurance. The psalmist does not complain that God has forgotten His covenant but instead acknowledges that God works through history, calling His people to trust in His greater plan.

This theme reaches its climax in the Gospel (Mark 8:27-33), where Jesus challenges His disciples with a question: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter, in a moment of revelation, answers: “You are the Christ.” But immediately after, Jesus begins to reveal the full picture—that the Messiah must suffer and die. Peter is shocked, offended, and resistant. His expectations of the Messiah as a triumphant leader did not match the reality of a suffering Saviour. The Greek word ἐπιτιμάω (epitimaō), meaning “to rebuke, to correct sharply,” is used both when Peter rebukes Jesus and when Jesus rebukes Peter. This shows that Peter thought he understood God’s plan but was actually seeing it through human expectations.

This is exactly the issue in Nigeria’s religious and political culture. Many recognize that God is in control, that He has plans for the nation, and that He is faithful, but they fail to accept the reality that change requires suffering, discipline, and sacrifice. Just as Peter wanted a Messiah without the Cross, many Nigerians want prosperity without accountability, change without sacrifice, and divine intervention without moral transformation. The rebuke of Peter is a rebuke of every nation, church, and individual that embraces half-truths about God’s ways.

The theological lesson is clear. God’s promises are sure, but they unfold in His way, not ours. Just as Noah had to wait for dry land, just as the psalmist had to trust in God’s faithfulness despite suffering, and just as Peter had to learn that Christ’s victory came through suffering, so too must Nigerians understand that national change will not happen through empty declarations but through faithful endurance and moral change. This message challenges modern expectations of instant success, quick miracles, and a gospel of convenience. Many Nigerians are eager to claim prophecies of greatness but reject the cross of discipline, integrity, and hard work. But there is no resurrection without the cross, no glory without suffering, and no true transformation without endurance.

This applies to all aspects of life. Many expect personal breakthroughs, career success, and national progress without embracing the process God has ordained. Some expect God to fix Nigeria while refusing to fight corruption, uphold justice, or pursue righteousness. Just as Peter had to learn that God’s ways are not man’s ways, so too must every Nigerian recognize that true prosperity is not about wealth and power but about embracing the difficult yet rewarding path of faithfulness and transformation.

The challenge before us is simple: Are we seeing clearly? Do we truly understand God’s promises, or are we like Peter, clinging to half-truths? Do we expect the rainbow of blessing without the flood of purification? Are we prepared to embrace the full vision of God’s plan for Nigeria, even when it does not align with human expectations? Just as Jesus rebuked Peter, He rebukes every nation that seeks prosperity without righteousness, change without sacrifice, and success without submission to God’s greater purpose.

The question remains: Will we allow God to correct our vision so we may finally see clearly, or will we continue to stumble in the illusion of promises that were never meant to be fulfilled on human terms?