Maria Full of Grace

Maria Full of Grace

I want to share with all of you the story of a woman that possessed courage and faith. Maria was born in Mexico and was the youngest of 9 children. Her parents were farm workers and could barely afford daily survival. She did not have much education after 6th grade and was raised to help around the house cooking and cleaning with her mother while her father and older brothers worked.

When Maria was 16 she met a local handsome soccer player. This man was known throughout the town and was quite the ladies man. He noticed her striking beauty that resembled Hollywood glamour of the 40s. She knew of his talent for the sport and his popularity. They began to date and fell in love. They both came from different worlds, he was from a wealthy family and she was from poor farm workers.

The handsome soccer player traveled quite a bit for the team but still managed to maintain his relationship with Maria. After extensive talks, he promised to ask her dad for her hand in marriage. But before he could do that she learned that she was pregnant. In 1949, in a Mexican small catholic town, this was a complete sin and embarrassment to the family. Maria told her family and was shunned and tormented, labeled as a town whore. Her family was devastated she proceeded to tell them that Genaro, the soccer player, has every intention of marrying her. He did but Genaro’s mother would have nothing to do with it. She would not allow Genaro to marry Maria because that was not the woman she wanted for her son. Maria was left alone to raise a son by herself. Her family shunned her, she was ridiculed by the town, and the love of her life did not marry her. Maria’s family took her son and planned to raise him as their own.

After months of solitude, agony, and hurt, Maria saw Genaro again as he begged forgiveness. He told her that he was going to marry her and start a family no matter what anyone says. Maria followed her heart and became pregnant again. This time her father had disowned her and her mother was shamed by her. Genaro was faced with the responsibility and gave in to his mother’s request by not marrying her. He left Maria again. She gave birth to a girl and had to take the bus home with her newborn because no one wanted anything to do with her.

She then met a man by the name of Guadalupe who fell head over heels for her. Even with a 2yr old daughter and a 3yr old son, he fell in love with Maria and asked for her hand in marriage. Maria’s parents had isolated her from friends and neighbors. She felt like a prisoner for her choices that she made. She accepted Guadalupe’s hand and married him much to her family’s disapproval. Her family kept her son and asked her to take her daughter with her.

Over the years the family never forgave Maria for her choices and her dad disowned her. He passed without ever speaking to her. Maria would try to reach to her son but was prevented by her mother and her husband. She found ways to see her oldest son and take him food or clothes. She had to sneak visits with him due to both parties of her husband and mother dissaproving. She spent years of abuse both physical and verbal by her family and her husband. She had 18 children but 6 of them died. She dedicated her life to her children and her husband. Never was she valued as a mother or a wife. The countless beatings, the numerous times she spent hungry for lack of food and the rejection from her family would cause anyone to give up on their life even on God. Not Maria, her faith in God gave her the courage to face all the obstacles she had her entire life.

Maria lost her husband four years ago but had all the love and support of 12 children, 56 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren. No matter how much love and support she received she mourned the loss of her husband greatly. No matter how bad or how much hurt he caused her physically and emotionally, she still loved him. Her health began to deteriorate slowly and painfully. She spent this last year in bed withering away and on Christmas Morning of 2007 she passed away.

I look at Maria’s life and ask God how someone could endure so much pain in life and in death. She possessed the courage of an army from being ridiculed, isolated, and unloved. Some how her faith in Jesus kept her head high and her heart strong. People have said it’s because of her mistakes that she suffered, but I disagree with that statement. Maria fell in love and because of love she made her choices. They were not mistakes, in her heart Maria loved her children, her husband, her family even though they shunned her, and she loved Genaro. I only pray that God can give her peace and complete happiness she deserves. I have to believe that all the suffering she went through in life is for a purpose. I know that she can rest now in peace.

I love you abuelita!

Maria was my Grandmother, whom I respected, loved, and she filled my heart with great joy.