Ash Wednesday plus 1

Today is the day after Ash Wednesday and I think back on yesterday and I am reminded of a story. A member of my family while at college was a Eucharistic minster and in this duty she also gave out ashes on campus on Ash Wednesday... On one Ash Wednesday when it was late at night on Campus and all the Ash Wednesday services were over and the church closed. Came a student to this relative of mine asking for ashes since they did not go to any of the services. Of course there was no way to do this since the church was closed and the ashes gone... Then this relative of mine did the following, she took her fingers and rubbed them over her forehead where her ashes had been placed and with those ashes on her fingers she shared with this "late" college student and gave them ashes, by sharing hers. Upon this action of sharing and giving to another the grace that was hers, she showed herself to be the true meaning of what lent is. To give of yourselves, to take the grace that is yours and share it, even if it means taking from yourself to give to another..