Daybreak for July 4, 2024

  • Thursday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time; Independence Day in the United States
  • Optional Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal, 1271-1336; daughter of Pedro III, future king of Aragon; given in marriage to Denis, king of Portugal, at age 12; she exercised both piety and charity, and remained devoted to her husband, whose infidelity to her was a scandal to the kingdom; Denis gave up his life of sin, and Elizabeth became a peacemaker among family; after the death of her husband, she retired as a tertiary to a Poor Clare monastery–and she brought about peace between her son Alfonso, now king of Portugal, and his son-in-law, the king of Castile
  • Office of Readings and Morning Prayer for 7/4/24
  • Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8