Daybreak

Thursday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time Optional Memorial of St. Maria Goretti, 1890-1902; daughter of a poor Italian tenant farmer; she was attacked by a neighbor, Alessandro, who stabbed her with a dagger; she died about 24 hours after the attack; while in prison, Alessandro had a dream of Maria gathering flowers, and offering them to him, and his life was changed; upon his release, he sought the forgiveness of Maria's mother, and was present at Maria's canonization Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/6/23 Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8