The Lull: A Hidden Season Before Lent Begins

Carol Bannon invites you to welcome the quietness of these days before Lent by filling your family life with a renewed purpose to grow in God's love.

Growing up in an active household, I often found the last few days of January painfully dull. I distinctly remember telling — okay, complaining to — my mom about just how boring they were. The highs of October, November, and especially December are unmatched, particularly for a child. Advent anticipation, Christmas celebrations, special treats, extra activities—it all builds to a joyful crescendo. And then — poof! — it’s gone. 

For most of us, by mid-January the decorations are packed away, and holiday activities are a distant memory. Many adults I know, myself included, are on sugar fasts or diets, and even the meals I prepare could fairly be described as dull. Desserts are replaced with gym time. Life settles back into ordinary routines: school mornings, work schedules, packed lunches, homework, laundry, bedtime prayers. 

Boring. 

It’s the universal complaint of children — and, if we’re honest, of some adults too. 

But my mother didn’t see it that way. She actually relished these days. She called the period between Christ’s birth and Ash Wednesday "the lull."

“Nothing dull about the lull,” she would say. 

To her, these days were meant simply to be. Days to quiet the noise (not an easy task in my childhood home), slow down, cultivate new habits, learn a new skill, and move at a pace conducive to calm. The lull wasn’t empty; it was spacious. It created room for what often gets crowded out during busier seasons. 

In other words, she invited us to experience the lull. 

Or, as God so powerfully reminds us in Exodus 14:14: 

The Lord will fight for you; you have only to keep still. 

Keeping Still 

As I’ve grown older, and especially as I’ve raised my own family, I’ve realized she was right. These days are a gift. 

In just a few short weeks — on February 18, 2026 — Ash Wednesday will arrive and Lent will begin. That gives us nearly twenty days to sit quietly and experience calm. Nothing to buy. Nothing to decorate. Nothing to host or prepare. Instead, we’re given space to reflect on what we hope this coming Lent will bring for our families. 

There’s a gentle peace that settles into each twenty-four-hour period during this time. Twilight stretches a little longer each evening. The sharp winds of winter slowly begin to soften. But for now, for this brief season, all is calm. Unlike the bustle of other liturgical celebrations, there is literally nothing we are required to do or prepare — except ourselves. 

For Catholic families, that simplicity is rare and precious. 

Making Room 

This lull before Ash Wednesday is special in its own right, and it deserves our attention. Make the most of it. 

Many of us have made countless New Year’s resolutions over the years: things we want to accomplish or improve. But perhaps this season invites a different question: What does God want us to grow in right now? And even more importantly, are we willing to listen for the answer? 

Of course, family life continues. Children still need to be where they’re supposed to be. Spouses still juggle responsibilities and support one another. But amid all of that, we shouldn’t neglect our personal relationship with God, thinking, “That’s something I’ll focus on once Lent starts.” 

No. This is the time. 

This is the moment to gently strengthen your family’s spiritual foundation. Take stock of what’s working and what may need adjusting. Maybe it’s family prayer that needs simplifying. Maybe it’s carving out a quieter bedtime routine that leaves room for Scripture. Maybe it’s gathering resources — a devotional, a Lenten guide, a new chaplet — that will support your family once Lent begins. 

The Lull, as I now think of it, is the perfect time to focus on the parts of our Faith we often glide right past in busier seasons. Learn a new chaplet together. Read a book of the Bible you’ve never explored as a family. Set up a realistic prayer rhythm that fits your household. Prepare hearts quietly, intentionally, and without pressure. 

Ash Wednesday’s Gospel will remind us that real spiritual growth happens away from public view: 

“But when you pray, go to your inner room, 
close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. 
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” (Matthew 6:6) 

Use the quiet of January and February to open the door of your family’s love for God wider and more personally. Do not wait for Lent to begin. Begin now. 

As my mother used to say, never mistake quiet days for dull ones. When our homes are stripped of holiday decorations, fill them instead with deeper listening, intentional prayer, and renewed awareness of Christ’s presence among us — and with a growing, shared love for Him. 

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Copyright 2026 Carol Bannon
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