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These are the so-called “dog days” of summer, when the heat and humidity are the most oppressive in the Northern Hemisphere.  A couple of days ago, a parishioner came to Mass with a “dog days” T-Shirt on, and it was pretty funny.  This weekend, unfortunately, and most of the summer, has been a good example of the dog days.

And, for the most part, thinking back over the Sunday readings since the beginning of July, these have also been the “dog days” of discipleship.  Over these last few weeks, in the Gospel, Jesus has asked us to:

• Travel with few possessions
• Help the stranger along the road
• Pray with persistence
• Become rich in the treasures of God
• Practice vigilance and good stewardship

Today, Jesus states what is an obvious consequence of this demanding life: there will be division.  If our main loyalty is to God, other loyalties will lose their importance,  even within families.  And, as if that’s not enough, in our first reading today, Jeremiah is thrown in the mud for his beliefs, and Paul reminds us that we have not shed our blood yet for our faith.

The Scripture scholar Joachim Jeremias has noted, “Discipleship involves the readiness to tread the lonely road and to bear people’s hatred.  For a disciple, the special sting of suffering will be in the fulfillment of the words of the prophet Micah: ‘one’s enemies are those of one’s own house.’”

In these meteorological dog days of summer, if we take care of ourselves, we can not only survive, but also thrive in these conditions.  Likewise, knowing our God is not only demanding, but also a God of glory and deliverance, and knowing that the kingdom is promised to us, we do not have to be overwhelmed by the demands of discipleship.  We can always live in hope of God’s presence and promise.